The electric scooter and motorcycle market is booming and is forecasted to reach over $12 billion by 2025. As pollution increases, electric bikes are becoming increasingly popular for their zero emissions.
When it comes to electric scooters, China has been at the forefront for years in terms of innovation and advancement within this segment.
However, importing an electric scooter from China can be challenging because there are many things you need to consider before doing so. In this short china scooter guide, we’ll help you find the key suppliers for electric scooters in China and share our key points.
China Scooter Market: A Booming Industry
In 2020, the electric scooter industry was worth $19.4 billion and is expected to grow at a rapid speed of 7.6% between 2021-2028. The demand for more fuel-efficient cars is increasing, with growing concerns about pollution and carbon emission; more people are looking for greener solutions. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the automotive industry, which has led to a decline in the electric powertrain market.
Electric scooters are simple, smart and best suited for delivery services such as; fast-food stores and shops. Electric two-wheelers for delivery sales have grown in the e-commerce industry and it’s expected to keep its growth in the future. Due to growing urbanisation within China, the transport demand in small and medium sized cities is increasing – and e-scooters are ideal for these short and frequent journeys.
How to Find an E-Scooter Supplier in China?
Finding the best e-scooter supplier is vital, and it is very important to do your research. A good China scooter supplier is the foundation of your trading business. Your strategy should always start with choosing the right channel. We’ve listed a few channels below to find suppliers and electric scooter manufacturers in China.
Online Platforms
The most famous online international B2B marketplace in China is Alibaba, most Chinese electric scooter manufacturers list their products on Alibaba. This platform can be a good start if you are new to the industry and want to source potential suppliers for importing electric bikes from China.
Alibaba is a powerful online marketplace that provides buyers and sellers with the opportunity to conduct business with each other from all over the world. It is especially known for being cost-efficient, has a huge e-commerce market with millions of products sold every day and offer a reliable after-sale service.
Another great website to source quality scooters from China is Made-in-China, it’s a B2B e-commerce platform, with more than 15,000 results for electric scooters – you can easily make comparisons and purchase products in a cost-efficient way.
Tips: It’s a good idea to book a supplier audit or pre-inspection service with a trusted third party the first time you’re importing Chinese electric scooters. As this will ensure the Chinese supplier is legitimate and the quality is up to the standard.
Direct Suppliers
If you want to buy directly from the supplier, you can find their website online and contact them directly via email. Typically they can provide you with all the relevant information and delivery pricing at first contact.
You can find different Chinese scooter brands in the e-commerce platforms and then search for them using either Google or Baidu. If you are located in China, you can also visit the factories directly as most of the factories are located in either Shenzhen and Zhejiang. This is a great way to see the whole e-scooter production process and experience first-hand how the product is made.
Sourcing Agents
Using a sourcing agent is an efficient way to find an affordable China scooter supplier, especially if you are abroad. These companies can guide you to find the best products, help you with sourcing, shipping and distribution. Typically they will assist you the whole way throughout the process; ensuring you find the best quality Chinese electric scooter that is right for you and your needs.
Trade Fairs
You can also look for Chinese electric scooter suppliers at trade shows such as:
- The Canton Fair
- China Cycle
- Global Sources Electronics.
Buyers from all over the world will attend these shows and you can look and even try out the products by yourself. Aside from that, you can even negotiate prices directly with the Chinese suppliers at the fair. Ensuring you get the best deal possible.
How To Import Electric Scooter From China: Key Points to Consider
The electric bike is a massive industry and they are mostly manufactured in China. But there are a few things you need to consider when you are importing e-scooters including: import duty on electric scooters from China, finding the best supplier and quality control.
Local Regulations
You should always check the laws in your country before importing. In the USA; each state has different age requirements and laws for electric bikes.
For example in Alabama; you have to be over 14 years old to ride an electric scooter and you must have a M class driver licence. While in Colorado, you can ride up to 20mph, there isn’t an age limit and a helmet or a driving licence.
In the UK; you must be over 14 and you cannot go over 15.5mph but you don’t need a licence to drive an e-scooter.
Also, in India you can use a vehicle with a motor power less than 250W and a max speed of 30km/h without a licence, but you must get approval from the necessary regulation body.
The rules surrounding motorised vehicles are a bit stringent and they can change rapidly. Keep track of the regulations in your market, and make sure that your targeted market is the ideal one for the kind of e-scooter you are trying to import from China to the USA, UK, India – or wherever it may be.
Certification
When you are looking for an electric bike, you must ask about documents. In this context, a certificate of quality and safety is important and ensuring the lithium battery is safe is a must. Otherwise, it could lead to fires or explosions while riding or charging.
You also need the correct documentation when it comes to customs clearance, especially when importing to the EU. The batteries in the Chinese electric scooter contain lithium. Therefore you must provide the EU with an MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet), UN38.3 test results, and the certificates for each shipment.
Import Duties
Be aware of the customs import duties when you are importing e-bikes from China and the tariffs that apply according to each cargo. The EU has imposed an anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duty on Chinese e-scooters, within the EU the duty rate is as high as 83.6%.
To avoid high tariffs, some Chinese factories disassemble the pedals from electric bikes and export them separately as spare parts, then the bike is “technically” not an electric bicycle but an electric scooter.
When it comes to shipping, the four popular ways include:
- Regular post
- Express courier
- Air freight
- Sea freight
The choice of shipping method will largely depend on your budget for the cost of the freight and the delivery time. Read our China shipping guide if you want to learn more about this topic.
Quality Control
Quality control (QC) is a key part of the manufacturing process and when you first visit the electric bike wholesale supplier, you should keep an eye on how many workers are doing the QC process and how many test machines are inside the plant. This will show you how capable the company is of making compliant and top-quality products. When you are discussing the contract; you should also take into consideration the brand components. If you are sourcing e-scooters from China access our in-depth resource and ensure the utmost quality and safety for your e-scooter products: E-Scooter Quality Inspection Checklist
Conclusion: How To Import a Scooter from China [2022 Guide]
The electric scooter and motorcycle market is growing rapidly, and with China being at the forefront of the industry – many importers are sourcing electric scooters in China.
The scooter manufacturers in China can be found on many platforms including online, via sourcing agents, and in trade shows. But when it comes to importing e-bikes or e-scooters from China, it’s important to choose a legitimate supplier and the product quality is good. In these circumstances, it is good to rely on an experienced third-party company like AQM BD.
We can help you with a range of services, including our quality inspection services:
- Pre-Shipment Inspections
- Sample Checking
- During Production Inspections
- Container Loading and Unloading Supervision
- Piece by Piece Inspections
- Production Monitoring
- Pre-Production Inspections
Do you need help inspecting your Chinese electric scooter manufacturers? Contact us today!
