Key Takeaways
- Amazon is the top company that most people want to see create a branded e-bike.
- Tesla is the most desired e-bike brand among men, while Tiffany & Co. is the most desired by women.
- Marvel is the most desired e-bike brand among millennials.
Real Brands, Unreal E-Bikes
As more people turn to e-bikes for their daily commute and recreation, more e-bike companies are popping up with new models and designs. We wondered what might happen if popular brands entered the e-bike market. What would an e-bike designed by Apple look like? How about Prada, Disney, or the Kansas City Chiefs?
We used Midjourney AI technology to create 69 theoretical e-bike designs. We then showed the rendered designs to 1,016 people to find out which they liked best, which they would be most eager to buy, and what they look for in the perfect e-bike. Let’s check out these fantasy e-bikes and see what the future of cycling might look like.
What Riders Want
Whether or not any of our fantasy e-bikes ever become a reality, many consumers have clear ideas about what they want in a real-life e-bike. What do people look for when buying an e-bike, and how can the e-bike market reach more people?
Customers were most concerned about price when buying an e-bike and improving the e-bike market. Understandably so, as e-bike prices can soar into the thousands. But 73% of regular e-bike riders said the market would improve as more manufacturers enter it. In the meantime, financing programs can help make e-bikes more affordable, and e-bike insurance coverage can help protect your investment.
Customers also look at the motor and battery when buying an e-bike or sharing ways to improve the e-bike market. When shopping for an e-bike, cyclists wanted motor power and efficiency to ride farther and faster on a single charge. When looking at the future e-bike market, 43% of consumers wanted improved battery technology—and preferably less fire-prone battery technology.
Of course, style is important too, but riders aren’t willing to sacrifice performance. The following were also among the top 10 most important features to consider when buying an e-bike:
- Motor power
- Motor efficiency
- Speed
- Balance
- Braking systems
- Pedal-assist levels
- Throttle control
Style didn’t even make the list of the most important features. However, almost 1 in 4 cyclists said they wanted a greater diversity of styles and designs to improve the e-bike market. Other important features include the suspension, wheel size, frame material, seat type, and handlebar type. The choices can feel overwhelming, but that just means you have a great chance of finding an e-bike that perfectly suits your needs.
Most Wanted Brands
People have been rocking fandom creations for years, with consumers eagerly flaunting merchandise from their favorite brands, movies, TV shows, video games, books, music, and the like. What if these products included e-bikes: How many people would invest in a branded e-bike, and which brands would they be most excited to rep and ride?
Of the 69 brands offered, Amazon was the people’s overall top choice for the brand they most wanted to make an e-bike, followed by Apple and Marvel. However, people were willing to pay the most for a Tesla e-bike—an average of $2,254. Men were especially eager for a Tesla e-bike, while women wanted a Tiffany & Co. model. We also found generational differences, with millennials preferring a Marvel e-bike above all others.
Silicon Startup E-Bikes
Tech companies boast incredibly loyal fan bases, so which tech giant’s e-bike out-designed the rest? Let’s see whose e-bike got the best upgrade.
After being the most popular e-bike overall, Amazon also took the top spot among tech company e-bikes. Fending off some tough competition, 42% of respondents said they would buy Amazon’s eco-friendly wheels, while 38% said they would shell out for Apple’s super sleek model.
Fresh Off the Lot E-Bikes
Drivers can be protective over their cars and pretty picky about car companies. Which car brand’s e-bike would they be most willing to pick up?
Over half of those surveyed (54%) would happily drive away with Toyota’s vintage yet futuristic e-bike. Only 32% wanted to ride on Ford’s design.
Jet Setting E-Bikes
An e-bike may not be able to carry you across the ocean, but it can still carry you fast and far. Let’s find out which travel company’s e-bike had people flying the highest.
Far and away the traveler favorite, Uber’s simple, all-black e-bike would go for a joy ride with 62% of respondents. American Airlines (32%) barely nosed out Delta (30%) for the most popular airline e-bike, and Marriott’s model (41%) got a few more bookings than Hilton’s (40%).
Across the Country
While how you travel is important, where you’re going is far more so. Which U.S. destination had travelers the most excited about touring on their e-bike design?
From coast-to-coast, the iconic cities of New York and Los Angeles each had 45% of people eager to sightsee on their e-bikes. Surprisingly, 45% of people would use Universal Studios’ e-bike, while slightly fewer would travel via Disneyland’s cartoon-inspired design.
For Here or To Go E-Bikes
From pizza lovers and coffee addicts to chocoholics and soda fiends, many people have at least one favorite food they can’t get enough of. Which food and beverage brand has the most craved e-bike?
While the battle of who has the best drinks rages on, our respondents had a clear favorite among coffee shop-inspired e-bikes. A much higher percentage of people preferred our Starbucks e-bike design than the Dunkin’ one. As for drink brands, Coca-Cola came in first with a bubbling 35%. And Olive Garden’s adorable bread basket e-bike ranked first among restaurants.
Retail Therapy E-Bikes
Big-name stores often have strong brand identities with loyal followings, but which retailer’s e-bike will have shoppers reaching for their wallets?
Target’s AI-designed e-bike hit the bullseye with its red and white design; 36% of shoppers would buy it, making it the most popular retail-branded model by just two percentage points. Among luxury brands, Prada’s e-bike posed in first place, with 35% of respondents preferring it over the iconic blue Tiffany model.
Sidekick-Worthy E-Bikes
Movies, TV shows, video games, and comics take us to places beyond our imagination. Let’s see how people feel about riding an e-bike inspired by an alternate universe.
The third most popular e-bike overall, Marvel’s Iron Man-inspired design was the superhero of the comic-themed e-bikes. Almost half (46%) of those surveyed preferred Marvel’s e-bike, compared to just 26% who chose DC. As for our favorite movies and shows outside the world of comics, Netflix’s “Stranger Things” won a third of the vote, while just 18% wanted to phone home ride home with ET.
E-Bikes On the Scoreboard
If you want to find some of the most passionate, steadfast fans around, look no further than professional sports. Which team’s e-bike dominated the competition?
Despite the die-hard dedication of many sports fans, most of our sport-themed e-bikes were among the lowest-performing designs out of all 69 brands. The Los Angeles Lakers’ e-bike was the top choice among NBA teams, but only 17% of respondents wanted to buy it. Similarly, 2023 Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs’ e-bike only fielded 18% support. Formula One teams fared better, as 29% would race to buy Mercedes-AMG Petronas’ e-bike.
E-Bikes of the Future
E-bikes have soared in popularity in recent years, carrying innumerable riders to important locations and enjoyable destinations. As the market grows and more companies manufacture e-bikes, popular brands may be lured into the market and create designs to delight their most ardent admirers. A few of them may even resemble the fantasy models generated for this study. Until then, riders can enjoy the plethora of e-bike options available today and look forward to future advancements and designs to take them anywhere they want to go.
Methodology
We created 69 different theoretical e-bikes made by different companies using Midjourney. We then surveyed 1,016 people about how they felt about these e-bikes. Of those respondents, 47% were women, 51% were men, and 2% were nonbinary. Additionally, 11% were baby boomers, 24% were Gen X, 58% were millennials, and 7% were Gen Z.
About eBikes.org
At eBikes.org, we research all things e-bikes and share in-depth, reliable, and honest reviews. Our goal is to help you find all the information you need to shop with confidence and discover the best electric bikes, shops, and services for you.
Fair Use Statement
Dreaming of your favorite fandom e-bike? Feel free to share this article with anyone you’d like. We just ask that you do so for non-commercial purposes only and provide a link back to this page to give the authors their due credit.
