Bike & micromobility

In recent years, there has been a general increase in the use of bicycles. 40% of the French population use bicycles regularly, which is equivalent to 22 million French people. 5% cycle daily and 7% weekly.

THE FRENCH MICROMOBILITY MARKET

Key figures for 2022

43% of vehicles sold in France

2 596 199 bicycles sold

A market of over 3.6 billion euros (+5.2% vs 2021)

A 52% growth in the cycling market between 2019 and 2022

A market driven by e-bikes (+12% vs 2021)

850 000 units produced in France (+7%)

Structuring the industry in France

The cycling industry in France is a dynamic sector with a desire to innovate and act collectively. To meet the demands of its stakeholders and the many challenges of the future, the French cycling industry, led by APIC (Association for the Promotion and Identification of Cycles and Micromobility), is structured around 9 commitments :

Create a structure that brings together the players, organises governance that reflects their diversity and steers joint projects.

Create an observatory to measure its impact and monitor its commitments.

Relocate and scale up for an innovative, sustainable and competitive cycle industry.

Encouraging and supporting players to innovate.

Anticipating skills and training needs, developing employment and making cycling professions more attractive.

Promote and strengthen sustainable, socially responsible production and use of bicycles, anchored in the regions.

Make France the world’s No. 1 destination for cycle tourism by 2030.

Stimulate the accelerated introduction of a comprehensive, high-service cycling system suitable for all.

Promote the environmental, social and economic benefits of cycling in France and Europe.

CARA (identified as the regional relay for the economic sector) represents the national sector in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The industry has a strong ambition: to make France a cycling nation once again.

The cycling industry in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Key figures :

1st industrial region in France with 511,000 jobs

2nd economic region

As of 2021, the sector (which is very active in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) represents :

1,510 jobs

360 industrial and service companies

28% of companies located in the Lyon metropolitan area

To meet the challenges of tomorrow, many of the region’s automotive subcontractors are looking to diversify their activities and are turning to cycling (e.g. Bontaz, Groupe Sab, Saint Jean industries, etc.).

Towards French reindustrialisation

The cyle industry in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes flourished from the 19th century until the 1970s and 80s. Over the years, its know-how has migrated to Asia, leading to heavy dependence on foreign suppliers.

In recent years, increased demand, coupled with disruptions to the global supply chain due to the health, political and economic context, has led to a shortage of components and raw materials. Uncertain transport and rising costs are putting French players in the cycle in a difficult position.

Faced with these challenges, France’s ambition is to reindustrialise the cycle industry on its territory to strengthen its sovereignty and resilience.

The aim is to have 2 million bicycles assembled in France by 2030. Innovation is at the heart of this strategy.
CARA is supporting cycle industry players in their efforts to curb dependence on Asian markets in particular.

KEY PROJECTS

L’Usine à vélo

The Usine à vélo is a wheel and bicycle assembly cooperative set up by six manufacturers, one industrialist and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region. This CARA-supported structure enables the pooling of services (assembly, technical expertise, etc.) to improve the competitiveness of local players. It is part of a local approach that encourages innovation.

Cooperation Purchase

Together with the Metropole de Lyon, CARA is supporting the purchasing cooperation initiative led by the Usine à vélo. The aim is to get together to buy better and innovate in terms of financing procurement. The aim is to support the transition of a purchasing strategy for the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, France and Europe.

Grand Plateau

CARA is supporting the development of the Grand Plateau, the Lyon metropolitan area’s third-location centre for micromobility professionals, which offers a rental space with shared tools, workshops, skills and knowledge. It’s a place where people can meet and exchange ideas, helping to create the mobility of the future.

MAD Industrie

CARA, supported by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, has carried out 4 studies on the possibilities for relocating bicycle components in France: frame, brake, pedal and transmission. The studies and webinars are available on the CARA website.

CYCLOLOGY

CARA monitors and supports various urban logistics projects, in particular :

The creation of the Hôtel de Logistique Urbain (HLU) in Lyon

This facility, designed for transport and logistics professionals in urban areas, aims to improve last-mile logistics by reducing pollution and mass supplying the centre of Lyon with clean vehicles, in particular cargo bikes.

The Sustainable City Demonstrator project

The “Urban logistics in dense neighbourhoods” project, for which the Metropole de Lyon is the winner in the Gratte-Ciel ZAC, supported by Villeurbanne and the SERL group. The aim is to identify urban logistics solutions that will help to reduce impacts (emissions, noise, land take, etc.).

Projet européen DECARBOMILE

CARA is also a partner in the European DECARBOMILE project, which aims to define the needs of 8 cities in terms of green logistics. The project brings together 31 partners from 10 different countries, and aims to use existing solutions by improving their efficiency and complementarity, in order to contribute to the decarbonisation of last-mile logistics.

SYNERGIES BETWEEN SECTORS

As part of its systemic, multimodal approach to urban mobility, CARA is giving increasing prominence to micromobility as an alternative to motorised vehicles, in response to ecological and public health issues.
Over the last two years, CARA has gradually extended the scope of its activities in this area. As a result, CARA is now active in 6 sectors (Automotive, Industrial Vehicles, Guided Air Transport, River Transport, Rail Transport and Micromobility).
To enable the companies in these sectors to meet new challenges, CARA offers them innovative resources and appropriate tools, such as the collaborative R1D approach and field trials. Beyond this, CARA’s ambition is to facilitate inter- and intra-sector collaboration and the sharing of experience. The aim is also to support the development of collective actions, partnerships and synergies within the framework of calls for projects, by ensuring that the players, the sectors and their actions are visible.

Example of collaboration between players in the automotive and cycling sectors:

KLEUSTER and RENAULT TRUCKS – Production and marketing of Freegones cargo bikes.

VALEO and EFFIGEAR – Development of a Valeo electric motor integrating an Effigear gearbox.

MOTION ENGINEERING and JTEKT – Partnership for the manufacture by JTEKT of parts designed by Motion Engineering.

GROUPE SAB and DOUZE CYCLES – Production of a two-wheeled model.

TRAINING

The micromobility sector, like all mobility sectors, is being impacted by rapid technological change, with major issues at stake in terms of jobs and skills. To enable companies to meet this challenge, CARA is supporting them in the development of skills, particularly in jobs involving on-board electronics and electric motors.
CARA is participating in initiatives to make the industry’s professions more attractive, in particular by drawing up job descriptions dedicated to micromobility.