Ankara: Trkiye has emerged as the fourth largest bicycle producer in Europe, according to an industry representative. The country also ranks sixth in Europe in bicycle and e-bikes sales, Bayram Akgul, president of the World Bicycle Industry Association (WBIA), told Anadolu. However, domestic demand is lagging, he said on the occasion of World Bicycle Day.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Confederation of the European Bicycle Industry (CONEBI) reported last year that Trkiye's production capacity is strong but not sufficiently reflected in the domestic market. Akgul highlighted that one of the key reasons is that bicycles are not used as a mode of transportation in daily life. He emphasized the importance of closing this gap via safe and uninterrupted bike paths and incentives.

Akgul stated that Trkiye produced 1.38 million units of bicycles and e-bikes in total in 2024, placing it among the top four manufacturers in Europe alongside Portugal, Italy, and Germany. He remarked that Trkiye's annual production capacity is enough to exceed this figure, with a clear upward trend in exports and domestic consumption in the e-bike sector. Europe has been the largest market for Turkish bicycle exports, led by Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, France, and the Scandinavian countries.

Rising fuel prices and vehicle costs have driven consumers to seek alternatives such as bicycles and e-bikes. However, the lack of safe bike lanes remains a challenge. Akgul noted that Trkiye imports around $65 billion worth of energy annually, a significant portion of which is consumed by the transportation sector. He suggested that using bicycles and e-bikes in urban transportation is one of the fastest ways to reduce external dependency in this area, potentially generating lasting economic value through strategic outcomes like the growth of the domestic production ecosystem and increased employment in service and maintenance sectors.

In Trkiye, around 30% of all trips in major cities are under 3 miles, and a significant portion of these short distances could be traveled by e-bikes, leading to a noticeable reduction in the number of vehicles on the road. Examples from Europe show that switching to e-bikes can alleviate traffic by 40-45% in congested corridors. Akgul noted that around 50% of citizens in Trkiye would use bicycles for short distances if roads were safe, indicating demand and intent despite lacking infrastructure.

Akgul mentioned that initiatives like the Turkish Health Ministry's 2015-2018 project "1 Million Bikes for a Healthier Trkiye" and the Turkish Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change Ministry's path network master plan have laid the groundwork for promoting cycling. However, he noted that there is still no incentive mechanism for e-bike purchases in the country.