European Commission Ignoring Electric Motorcycles?

In late May of this year the European Commission released the long-awaited White Paper on Transport which outlines rather ambitious plans for European transportation. Oddly absent from the report is any mention of the role electric motorcycles will play in this imagined, idealistic future.

Wherefore Electric Motorcycles Omitted?

Electric motorcycles are not included in the plans laid out within the E.C. White Paper, though the goals are quite grand and include plans for densely-populated urban areas. The document is meant to cover the challenges facing European nations in terms of transport from now until 2050; it calls for significant reductions in emissions through the adoption of green, safe, and commercially competitive transportation systems. Efficiency, clean operation and low impact are all parts of this proposal, and yet the vehicle which best represents these concepts – the electric two-wheeler – receives no significant mention in the White Paper.

ERTA Comments

The European Twowheel Retailers' Association (ETRA) is mostly happy with the plan, but they seriously lament the fact that electric motorcycles seem to have been ignored. In fact, the ETRA cited the lack of focus on the potential of all two-wheeled transport which includes standard and electric bicycles, electric scooters, and electric motorcycles. The ERTA rightly believes that the vehicles their members sell and support could have an outsized influence on the goals that the European Commission is working towards.

Electric Motorcycles in the City

Though the European Commission White Paper on Transport does call for the eventual complete replacement of conventionally-fueled vehicles from the urban centers, it does not even consider that electric motorcycles - and their two-wheeled kin – are here today, have infrastructure in place, and are already having an impact. Given that the ERTA represents over 5,000 bicycle, moped and motorcycle dealers, you can safely bet that they are very aware of the benefits two-wheeled vehicles - specifically electric-powered scooters and motorcycles – can provide to people living in the urban jungle.

Calling Euro-zone Bikers!

Perhaps motorcyclist organizations in the many European Union member states need speak up and be sure they are included in these plans. After all, only recently were motorcycles added to the United Nations traffic safety ideas for the future, and that was due to an effort by many motorcycle advocacy organizations. Electric motorcycles are the ‘here, now and tomorrow’ for the motorcycle industry and leaving them out of the cities of the future is demonstrably ignorant of the incredibly efficient operation and important humanizing effect of battery-powered bikes.