Is the e-bike (electric bike) a good side category for car audio retailers? Blaupunkt says it is.
Blaupunkt offers a single foldable e-bike at a retail price of $1,599 that requires no servicing by a car audio dealer (bike owners would go to a bike shop for repairs). The bike ships 95 percent assembled (you attach the seat and handlebars). It is available in three colors.
The Blaupunkt e-bike has been stocked by distributors including GoFast Solutions and was just picked up the Elite Distributor Alliance (EDA) group of distributors. (See press release here).
Blaupunk Americas shipped about a thousand units in its first year. It said January has been its best month, even though it’s not exactly biking season in many areas of the US, said BP Technology Americas President/CEO Brian Tedesco.
“It’s a fresh new product with a legacy car audio name attached to it…The aftermarket business is very stagnant. This gives a 12 volt dealer something fresh to offer. You do not have to have bike mechanics or know how to tune or work on a bike…” said Tedesco.
Blaupunkt in Europe started offering the e-bike six years ago overseas. It is designed in Germany and built in plants in Paraguay and East Asia. Some assembly is done in Poland. “We wanted to get into micro mobility. We’ve been doing this [car audio] for over 100 years…this is a way for us to think of the future,” said Tedesco.
He noted that new bike lanes are cropping up in cities around the country. “There are thousands and thousands of miles of bike lanes appropriated in the US. I believe this is not just a pandemic fad. This is becoming a way of life in city commuting. We’re out ahead of this and we think this is a long term business for the 12 volt market. Micro mobility is here to stay. 12 volt dealers have access to consumers and a showroom and that’s all you need.”
e-bike rebates are offered in several states including CT, GA, NV, CO, CA, WA and OR. Georgia just issued a new rebate of up to $1,500.
Bob Hernandez, VP of GoFast Solutions, said the bikes have been selling well.
