In 2023, China's two-wheeler (motorcycle and electric vehicle) industry officially entered the first year of transformation. Policy guidance, technological upgrading and changes in consumer demand have formed a joint force, promoting the industry's transformation from extensive growth to standardized development. Electrification has accelerated, and fuel-powered motorcycles have also ushered in structural awakening.
In the field of electric vehicles, the "Safety Technical Specifications for Electric Bicycles" (old national standard) entered the final transition period, and large-scale elimination of substandard electric vehicles was launched nationwide, making compliant models the mainstream of the market. At the same time, five ministries and commissions including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology jointly issued the "Action Plan for the Electrification Transformation of Motorcycles (2021-2025)", clearly proposing the goal of achieving an annual output of 5 million electric motorcycles and a penetration rate of 30% by 2025. A subsidy of 300-500 yuan per vehicle is given to electric motorcycles with a range of more than 80 kilometers, and the annual central financial subsidy is 1.8 billion yuan, injecting strong impetus into the electrification transformation.
Market data shows that in the first half of 2023, the sales volume of electric two-wheelers has exceeded 19 million units, and the annual sales volume is expected to reach 38 million units, a year-on-year increase of 22%; the output of electric motorcycles has reached 4.8105 million units, a substantial year-on-year increase. The industry concentration continues to increase, with the market share (CR3) of the three leading enterprises Yadea, Aima and Tailg exceeding 70%, and small and medium-sized miscellaneous brands are accelerating their exit due to failure to meet compliance requirements. Technically, the trend of lithium batteries fully replacing lead-acid batteries is obvious, with 48V/60V lithium battery models accounting for 65%. Brands such as Niu Technologies and Segway-Ninebot took the lead in deploying intelligence, and functions such as NFC unlocking and APP interconnection have become standard configurations for high-end models, promoting the upgrading of electric vehicles from simple means of transportation to intelligent travel carriers.
The fuel-powered motorcycle market also showed a recovery trend, with an annual output of 27.545 million units, of which the export volume reached 13.3657 million units, a year-on-year increase of 21.33%. The Southeast Asian and South American markets have become the core driving force for export growth. The trend of consumption upgrading is prominent, with sales of large-displacement models above 250cc increasing by 45% year-on-year. Domestic major manufacturers such as CF Moto, Qianjiang and Loncin are accelerating their layout in the high-end market, while imported brands such as Honda and Yamaha are firmly holding their high-end positions. At the policy level, many places have begun to optimize the "ban on motorcycles and restriction on electric vehicles" policy. Cities such as Xi'an and Jinan took the lead in relaxing motorcycle traffic restrictions, and motorcycle culture has gradually returned to public view, injecting vitality into the recovery of the fuel-powered motorcycle market.
Insiders said that as the key first year of industry transformation, 2023 will see the continuous deepening of the compliance wave and electrification trend. In the next two years, the two-wheeler industry will usher in more drastic reshuffling and upgrading, and brand competition will shift from price wars to comprehensive competition in technology and services.