Taiwan’s bike makers bank on e-bikes to power them to the top in wake of US-China trade war
- After years of shifting production to the mainland, the island’s manufacturers have been given a new lease of life
- A surge in demand for e-bikes from Europe combined with US tariffs could help Taiwan regain its position as the number one producer of cycles
Set to a rhythmic soundtrack of clacking machinery, whirring drills and inflating tyres, bikes take shape at a factory run by Taiwan’s Giant, which is leading the island’s push to regain its crown as bike maker to the world.
And key to this push is demand for electronic two-wheelers from environmentally conscious European consumers, with surging exports providing support during the China-US trade war.
At an assembly line near the central city of Taichung, workers for Giant – the world’s biggest bike maker – build new electric bikes that boast visibly thicker frames to house rechargeable batteries.
“This is one of the biggest driving forces for the past five years,” explained Giant chairwoman Bonnie Tu, who said e-bikes now make up a fifth of the company’s group revenue.
“But I think for this year, maybe we’ll be able to reach about 30 per cent.”
