In something of a shocker on the eve of EICMA, Yamaha announced they were terminating sales of its e-Bikes in the U.S. The company just celebrated its 30th Anniversary and has built up a network of 400 “Smart Power” eBike dealers. Yamaha pioneered e-bikes in Japan circa 1993 and has been selling its “Yamaha Power Assist Bicycles” in the U.S. since 2018. According to the announcement, Yamaha will stop wholesaling e-Bikes in the U.S. market at the end of the year.
“Yamaha will continue to support retailers and end users with warranty service and parts for years to come,” claims Rob Trester, division manager of Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA’s Smart Power Vehicle Division. “I want to emphasize and clarify that there will be no change in Yamaha’s warranty and support to our eBike customers,” Trester told Bicycle Retailer & Industry News. “Yamaha will honor all warranty for the entire period which was agreed upon at time of purchase. In addition, Yamaha will continue our program to provide fixed labor reimbursement to dealers for warranty repairs.”
Yamaha has been helping dealers sell off remaining inventory by extending a “Fan Promotion” — a program launched earlier this year — offering discounts of up to 60% in the form of a cashback incentive of up to $3,900. The program’s site now directs customers to local dealers.
A letter sent to Yamaha e-bike dealers noted that “industry oversupply and soft demand made it extremely difficult to achieve a sustainable business model,” resulting in the decision to exit the U.S. market. Trester told BRAIN, “a small number” of e-bike-specific staff will be affected by the change.
“We have enjoyed the opportunity to partner with our dealers and deliver exciting, high-quality all-road, mountain and fitness/lifestyle e-bikes to our customers,” concluded Tresser. “We are thankful for our dealer partnerships and to our customers who have and will continue to enjoy our products for years to come.”
