September 1 marked the start of paid parking for all thermal two-wheelers in Paris, while free parking is still applied for electric ones. A situation that might extend to other major cities in the country, says Grégory Coillot, CEO and founder of Volt, a start-up specializing in electric mobility. “In Nantes and Montpellier – among others -, the town halls are considering banning parking for thermal two-wheelers, or making it chargeable, for noise and environmental reasons”, he explains. The Parisians, therefore, are already entitled to it.
And this is not without delighting sellers of electric scooters, who are seeing more and more new customers pushing the door of their stores. But will there be a machine for everyone? 20 Minutes posed the question to professionals in the sector.
Demand is exploding
The entry into force of this paid parking in the capital was initially scheduled for January 2022. So much so that orders for electric scooters had already started to climb upstream. “But the reform was delayed for electoral reasons,” says Emmanuel Combelles, CEO and founder of the brand. GreenMotorShop, which has two stores in Paris. “The customers therefore came to cancel their purchase and indicated that they would return the following summer”, continues the business manager.
It is indeed in 2022 that the scooter riders met once more. “We were surprised by the sudden acceleration in sales, which we would have thought more gradual,” explains Grégory Coillot. It was felt “during the summer holidays, in June / July”, according to Emmanuel Combelles. Sales have been “multiplied by 5 or 6”, specifies the CEO of Volt, according to whom 100,000 scooters electric would have been registered this year.
The phenomenon is even exacerbated in stores that market their own brand, especially at RollEcolo. “Our sales have increased by 100%,” says Aubry Noirjean, its president. Established in Brittanythe company has anticipated the increase in Parisian demand, and their “Lycke” scooters will be available within three months in a new point of sale in the 15th arrondissement.
Backordered inventory
But with so many sales in such a short time, is the stock keeping up? The GreenMotorShop brand, which offers both electric scooters equivalent to 50 cm3 and 125 cm3, is experiencing stock shortages. “This concerns 40% of the references we offer,” explains Emmanuel Combelles. Some “come back faster than others”, such as the brand’s scooters Niu, because the company “is a very large importer throughout Europe”, he adds. On the other hand, the brand Super Soco is, for example, more affected.
At RoulezEcolo, “the flagship models are on pre-order, because shortages are regular”. The stock is less of a problem at Easy-Watts, a brand of electric scooters linked to China. “We have a direct relationship with the factory, we are not worried”, assures Pierre Hinault, its commercial director.
Longer delivery times and more expensive scooters
But why such shortages? Because in addition to a rapid increase in sales, replenishment cycles are long. “It takes 3 to 4 months from the order”, explains Grégory Coillot. For his part, Pierre Hinault (Easy-watts) admits that the lead times delivery have increased because of “the shortage of components and the acceleration of maritime transport”. Not to mention “the floor space taken up by scooters once they arrive in the warehouse, according to the CEO. No professional in the sector can store so much”.
And if delivery times are extended, prices are also subject to increases on all sides. Aubry Noirjean (RoulezEcolo) recalls that the cost of transport maritime has risen sharply since the pandemic. Consequence: “Even if we try to stabilize them, our prices have increased by 20% since 2021”, he recognizes.