Electrify NZ becomes New Zealand's largest e-bike supplier
Nile Bijoux11:58, Nov 30 2021
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Electrify NZ’s founder Michael Tritt on one of the company’s Black e-bikes.
Electrify NZ has acquired Electric Bikes New Zealand and become the largest supplier of e-bikes in the country.
The acquisition means Electrify NZ has more than 70 independent suppliers nationwide and eight franchise stores, a response to the rising demand of e-bikes in New Zealand. The market has grown by a factor of 25 over the past six years, from around 2000 units in 2014 to 50,000 last year.
Founder of Electrify NZ, Michael Tritt, said that the company’s goal is to make everyone a cyclist and that e-bikes remove a lot of reasons not to become one.
Urgent Couriers began using electric bikes instead of traditional courier vehicles in Central Auckland after they struggled to get drivers who would navigate the pedestrian-focused streets of the inner city.
“Distance, hills, a sweaty commute to work. All those barriers go away with an e-bike and New Zealanders have cottoned on to that.”
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Electrify NZ distributes major international brands KTM, Haibike, Magnum, Gocycle and Gepida, as well as its own locally designed Black e-bikes.
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The Electrify NZ Black e-bike.
While Covid has certainly presented challenges over the last two years, Tritt says Electrify NZ’s in-house brands have helped shield the company.
“Some bikes we ordered from Europe two years ago still haven’t arrived but our in-house brands, designed in New Zealand and manufactured in China, mean we have a fairly solid supply chain.”
Purchasing Electric Bikes New Zealand and its in-house brand, Smartmotion, will add certainty to the supply of stock. The deal will also see Electric Bike New Zealand founder Anthony Clyde join Electrify NZ in an advisory and design capacity.
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Electrify NZ is now New Zealand’s largest supplier of e-bikes.
“In many ways, Anthony is the person who started and drove the e-bike revolution here in New Zealand and we’re excited to have his expertise on our team,” said Tritt.
“Our focus has always been on designing and distributing bikes that meet the needs of New Zealand customers, and with Electrify NZ’s trading company, Urban Cleantech, being 100% New Zealand owned, we know that the customer focused values that have driven our success will be continued into the future,” Clyde added.
“With this sale, I’m looking forward to focusing on e-bike design moving forward, which is where my passion for e-bikes began.”
