The economic importance of motorcycles in Europe

A research by Oxford Economics highlights the economic and mobility benefits of two-wheelers in Europe.

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The safe ride to the future 2.0

The motorcycle industry’s commitment to road safety. This document showcases some of the industry’s most important initiatives in the area of motorcycle safety.

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Motorcycle training

The European Motorcycle Training Quality Label is a scheme that helps motorcyclists to clearly and easily identify the best post-license training programmes in Europe

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Competitiveness

ACEM members support a European stable regulatory framework that fosters growth, jobs and investment in the L-category industry

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Urban Mobility

L-category vehicles save time and money for commuters, increase urban traffic fluidity and reduce congestion

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Environment

L-category vehicles sold in the EU comply with strict pollutant emission limits. Also, they have a limited environmental impact

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International trade

Together with a more vibrant domestic market, exports will help the industry to grow and to create new jobs in the EU

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Road safety

The industry has achieved high safety levels for existing products and continues to bring advanced and innovative vehicles to the market

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ACEM news
ACEM position paper on the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union
24 May 2018

ACEM, representing the motorcycle industry, would like to actively contribute to the impending discussions on the withdrawal of the UK from the EU, transitional arrangements and the future relationship between the UK and the EU. This paper identifies and explains the topics we are facing in the wake of the withdrawal negotiations to facilitate a swift result and to re-establish a solid, dependable basis for future planning and investment.

Documents available to download

Final results of the RESOLVE consortium presented in Brussels on 25 April 2018
25 Apr 2018

About 80 participants from all over the world attended the final presentation of the results of the work accomplished by the RESOLVE consortium in Brussels on 25 April 2018.

The event was opened by Antonio Perlot, Secretary General of ACEM, who delivered a presentation on the latest market trends of electric L-category vehicles in Europe and the current legislative framework, and also by Georgios Charampolous, Policy officer at the European Commission.

The attendees had the opportunity to learn about the key results and challenges of the project, the outlook for light electric vehicles in Europe, as well as the work carried out by other projects funded by the European Union including ELVITEN, WEEVIL, SILVERSTREAM and ESPRIT.

Vehicle exhibition

The consortium also exhibited its two vehicle demonstrators – named D1 and D2 – which are fully electric and tilting four wheelers, designed to be a practical alternative to cars in cities facing increasing urban mobility needs.

D1 is an L2e category vehicle, similar to a mid-size scooter. It is powered by two electric motors, each one placed on a single rear wheel, with a top speed of 45 km/h (the legal limit) and a range of 100 kilometres. The batteries can be replaced and they can also be recharged from a conventional power socket. The solar panels on the roof and the regenerative braking system help to improve energy efficiency.

D2 is an L6e category vehicle, visually akin to a small size car but with a driving dynamic of a light motorcycle. It is powered by a central electric motor. Its top speed is 45 km/h (also the legal limit) and it has a range of 80 kilometres. The vehicle is designed to minimise the drag, manufacturing costs and energy consumption as much as possible. The batteries can be recharged from a conventional power socket, while the regenerative braking system helps to improve energy efficiency.

The RESOLVE consortium also exhibited a third vehicle, a three-wheeler demonstrator named D3, which has been derived from an L2 four-wheeler to test alternative drivetrain solutions and to further reduce weight and costs.

About RESOLVE

The RESOLVE consortium unites 14 European companies including PIAGGIO (leader of the consortium), KTM, BOSCH, MARELLI and other organisations. The consortium's objective is to develop affordable, energy efficient and comfortable electric vehicles that fulfil the needs of daily urban commuters.

The project started in 2015 and drew to a close in April 2018. It received about 6.8 million Euros of funding from the European Union.

To learn more about RESOLVE and see the full list of members please visit: http://www.resolve-project.eu 

Press contact

Serena Fruttaldo (RELAB)
Responsible for external communications of the RESOLVE consortium
 
+39 (0)52 21 40 93 50

 

ACEM press release - ACEM President and CEO of KTM AG, Stefan Pierer: “Nobody wins with trade wars”
21 Mar 2018

One day ahead of the Brussels European summit, where the 28 Heads of State and Government will discuss trade policy, the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) calls on EU governments to exclude motorcycles from the lists of American products on which the EU will increase customs duties. The EU stands ready to retaliate against the US following the decision of the Trump administration to impose additional duties on imports of steel and aluminium products including European ones.

ACEM wrote to the European Commissioner for Trade, Cecilia Malmström, and to the Vice-President of the European Commission, Jyrki Katainen, to express its concern about the escalation of this trade conflict. In its letter, the European motorcycle industry explained that by enacting retaliatory tariffs on American motorcycles, the EU may end up triggering American retaliatory measures against European-made motorcycles and scooters.

Since this would severely damage not only motorcycle manufacturers in Europe, but also European manufacturers of parts, components and accessories (many of which are SMEs) and providers of services demanded by motorcycle companies, ACEM calls on EU governments and the European Commission to exclude American motorcycle exports from their retaliation and compensation lists. ACEM will elaborate on the negative consequences for the motorcycle sector of this trade dispute in its reply to a public consultation launched by the European Commission.

ACEM President and CEO of KTM AG, Stefan Pierer, who is today attending the ACEM General Assembly hosted by Peugeot Scooters in Sochaux (France), said: “Europe is one of the most important markets for American exporters of motorcycles, and about 30% of all European motorcycle exports go to the US. This trade dispute could be extremely damaging for both sides. Nobody wins with trade wars”.

ACEM Secretary General Antonio Perlot said: “We call on EU Member States to urgently exclude American motorcycle exports from its retaliation and compensation lists. We also encourage the European Commission to work constructively with Washington to reach a negotiated solution to the steel and aluminium issues, and to de-escalate the conflict. The motorcycle sector must not be brought into this trade dispute”.

Note for editors

About 300,000 jobs depend on the motorcycle, moped, tricycle and quadricycle industry in the EU.

According to EUROSTAT figures, in 2016 the EU’s exports of motorcycles to the US amounted to € 483.1 million, which represented 29.1% of all European motorcycle exports. Furthermore, EU-based companies exported € 139.6 million in motorcycle parts and components to America (30.8% of the total). In 2016, the US was the first destination for European exports of motorcycles as well as parts and components.

The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) represents manufacturers of mopeds, motorcycles, three-wheelers and quadricycles (L-category vehicles) in Europe. ACEM members include 17 manufacturing companies and 17 national industry associations.

ACEM manufacturing members, which include some of the largest multinationals in the sector, are: BMW Motorrad, Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), Ducati Motor holding, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, KYMCO, MV Agusta, Peugeot Scooters, PIAGGIO, Polaris Industries, Renault, Royal Enfield, Suzuki, Triumph Motorcycles and Yamaha.

Documents available to download

Communiqué de presse - Stefan Pierer, PDG de KTM AG et Président de l’ACEM : « Dans une guerre commerciale, personne ne gagne » [PDF]

Comunicato stampa - Stefan Pierer, Presidente dell’ACEM e CEO di KTM AG, afferma: “Nessuno uscirà vincitore da questa guerra commerciale” [PDF]

Press release - ACEM President and CEO of KTM AG, Stefan Pierer: “Nobody wins with trade wars” [PDF]

Press contact

Manuel Ordonez de Barraicua
ACEM communications manager
E.    
M. +32 496 52 65 17

Final results of the RESOLVE project to be presented in Brussels on 25 April 2018
21 Mar 2018

The RESOLVE consortium will organise a conference on the final results of its three-year long project in Brussels, on 25 April 2018.

ACEM and the CMC to participate in the 2018 OECD International Transport Forum
19 Mar 2018

The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) and the Connected Motorcycle Consortium (CMC) will participate in the 2018 edition of the OECD International Transport Forum that will take place between 23 and 25 May in Leipzig, Germany.

The theme of the Forum will be “Transport Safety and Security" and it will address a wide range of issues including: planning and design of safety transport systems, road infrastructure and safety management and the link between economic activity and road safety trends.

Motorcycle safety experts from the ACEM and the CMC will be present at the 2018 International Transport Forum to elaborate on some of the different initiatives led by the industry to improve motorcycle safety in Europe, such as the ACEM road safety strategy or the European training quality label.

CMC experts will discuss with attendees the potential of connected intelligent transport systems (C-ITS) to improve motorcycle safety, the need for interoperable C-ITS applications as well as the risks and benefits of car automation for motorcyclists’ safety.

Moreover, the Secretary General of the International Motorcycle Manufacturers’ Association will deliver a presentation on the situation of motorcycle safety at an international level.

CMC and ACEM representatives

  • Hennes Fischer. Senior Adviser. Yamaha Motor Europe.
  • Tomohiro Matsuda. Regulatory affairs and engineering manager. Kawasaki Motors Europe.
  • Dr. Veneta Vassileva. Safety coordinator. European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM)

Additional information and registration

For further information and to register for this event please visit: https://2018.itf-oecd.org/ 

About the CMC

  • The CMC is an R&D platform to foster cooperation in the field of C-ITS created in 2016 by BMW Motorrad, Honda and Yamaha. The key objective of the CMC is to promote timely and comprehensive use of C-ITS systems offering the potential to improve safety for motorcyclists. It is open to a wide range of organisations including motorcycle OEM, automotive companies, automotive part suppliers and research institutions.
  • Since its creation, several members have joined the consortium, including: Kawasaki, KTM and Suzuki and Autotalks (development members) as well as the ACEM, the Technical University of Dresden, the Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt, VUFO GmbH and the Würzburg Institute for Traffic Sciences and Ducati (associate members). For more information about the CMC please visit www.cmc-info.net

About ACEM

  • The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers represents manufacturers of mopeds, motorcycles, three-wheelers and quadricycles (L-category vehicles) in Europe. The entire sector accounts for about 156,000 jobs across Europe.
  • ACEM members include 18 multinational manufacturing companies: BMW Motorrad, Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), Ducati Motor holding, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, KYMCO, MV Agusta, Peugeot Scooters, Piaggio, Polaris Industries, Renault, Royal Enfield, Suzuki, Triumph Motorcycles and Yamaha. ACEM also represents 17 motorcycle industry associations in 14 different European countries.

Press contact

Manuel Ordonez de Barraicua
ACEM Communications manager
E.  P. +32 (0) 496 52 65 17

Motorcycle industry concerned over potential escalation in US-EU trade relations
07 Mar 2018

The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) is deeply concerned at the recent press statements delivered by the American and European authorities in relation to US imports of steel and aluminium. ACEM appreciates the reasons behind potential retaliation action by the EU in case the US increases tariffs on imported steel and aluminium. However, the motorcycle industry would be severely damaged if brought into this trade dispute.

One of ACEM’s member companies, Harley-Davidson, was mentioned amongst possible targets for retaliation by European auhorities. ACEM wrote to EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström stressing that while the industry understands the reasons behind the EU’s intention to retaliate firmly and swiftly, a potential increase of customs duties on American exports of motorcycles would clearly be damaging to the American companies but also to European economies and jobs. It might also, in turn, result in the US administration imposing retaliatory tariffs on European exports. Overall, this could lead to considerable negative economic impacts and job losses for the motorcycle sector in both the US and Europe, particularly in areas such as the manufacturing and distribution of vehicles, parts and components.

Stefan Pierer CEO of KTM AG and President of ACEM said: “Motorcycle companies are global players committed to free and balanced trade agreements. The US and the EU should be working together to facilitate international trade and regulatory convergence, not to restrict it by adopting unilateral and politically motivated measures”.

Antonio Perlot, ACEM Secretary General, said: “The EU is a key market for American motorcycle brands. But the US is also Europe’s first trading partner in the motorcycle segment. We trust that American and European authorities will avoid triggering a global trade escalation, which, could be extremely damaging for the motorcycle industry on both sides of the Atlantic”.

Note for editors

About 156,000 jobs depend on the motorcycle, moped, tricycle and quadricycle industry in the EU..

According to EUROSTAT figures, in 2016 the EU exports of motorcycles to the US amounted to € 483.1 million which represented 29.1% of all European motorcycle exports. Furthermore, EU-based companies exported € 139.6 million in motorcycle parts and components to America (30.8% of the total). In 2016 the US was the first destination for European exports of motorcycles as well as parts and components.

The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) represents manufacturers of mopeds, motorcycles, three-wheelers and quadricycles (L-category vehicles) in Europe. ACEM members include 17 manufacturing companies and 17 national industry associations.

ACEM manufacturing members, which include some of the largest multinationals in the sector, are: BMW Motorrad, Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), Ducati Motor holding, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, KYMCO, MV Agusta, Peugeot Scooters, PIAGGIO, Polaris Industries, Renault, Royal Enfield, Suzuki, Triumph Motorcycles and Yamaha. 

Documents available to download

Communiqué de presse de l’ACEM — L’industrie des motocycles s’inquiète de l’escalade potentielle des relations commerciales entre l’UE et les USA, affectant le secteur des motocycles [PDF]

Comunicato stampa ACEM - Preoccupazione nell’industria motociclistica: il possibile aumento dei dazi commerciali tra UE e USA potrebbe danneggiare il settore [PDF]

ACEM press release - Motorcycle industry concerned over potential escalation in US-EU trade relations impacting the motorcycle sector [PDF]

Press contact

Manuel Ordonez de Barraicua
ACEM communications manager
E.    
M. +32 496 52 65 17

The German Institute for Motorcycle Safety launches a call for papers on motorcycle safety
09 Feb 2018

The German Institute for Motorcycle Safety (Institut für Zweiradsicherheit, IFZ) has announced a call for papers on scooter and motorcycle safety. The selected papers will be presented during the 12th International Motorcycle Conference in Koln, Germany.

Moreover, plans exist to peer-review the selected papers and publish them. The conference will give scientists, researchers and practitioners the opportunity to exchange views and discuss state-of-the-art research on motorcycle safety.

A full description of the call for papers is available here. The final programme of the event and the list of selected papers will be published at www.ifz.de 

Timetable

16 March 2018 - Deadline for abstract submissions

1-2 October 2018 - IFZ conference in Koln, Germany

Press contact

Matthias Haasper. German Institute for Motorcycle Safety (IFZ) - Head of R&D
E.    
P. +49 02 018 35 39 32

ACEM position paper - The motorcycle industry’s commitment to the environment
01 Feb 2018

Over the last decades motorcycles have achieved remarkable progress in enhancing their environmental performances. Through manufacturers’ continued R&D investments, today’s motorcycles have better fuel efficiency levels than in the past. Vehicle emissions - including sound levels - have also been drastically reduced over the years, while the improvement of gasoline engines and the launch of new electric and hybrid models in the market clearly show that the industry is committed to making a valuable contribution to the environmental sustainability of Europe’s transport systems.

The aim of this paper is to present how the industry views the role of its products in enhancing the environmental sustainability of transport and how it contributes to achieving this goal, when it comes to pollutant emissions, climate change, noise levels and the controlled use of hazardous substances.

Documents available to download

Riding in a 21st century environment - The motorcycle industry’s commitment to the environment [pdf]

 

Contact us

European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers

Avenue de la Joyeuse Entrée, 1 B1040
Brussels Belgium

+32 (0)22 30 97 32

VAT BE0740.931.926

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