CYPRESS, Calif. (BRAIN) — Yamaha will stop wholesaling e-bikes in the U.S. market at the end of the year, the company told BRAIN on Friday.
The company’s U.S. manager emphasized that Yamaha will continue to support retailers and end users with warranty service and parts “for years to come.” And while U.S. management declined to comment on Yamaha’s global plans, the company is expected to continue selling e-bikes in other markets and to continue selling its OE e-bike motors, which are spec’d by Giant and other brands. Yamaha’s OE motor business is run separately from its U.S. e-bike business.
Rob Trester, division manager of Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA’s Smart Power Vehicle Division, told BRAIN that Yamaha has just under 400 e-bike dealers in the U.S. He said Yamaha is helping dealers sell off their remaining inventory by extending a “Fan Promotion” program that offers discounts of up to 60% in the form of a cashback incentive of up to $3,900. The promotion also is online but most available online inventory is gone, he said. The program’s site now directs customers to local dealers.
The company pioneered e-bikes in Japan as early as 1993 and has been selling its “Yamaha Power Assist Bicycles” in the U.S. since 2018, soft launching the line at the 2017 Interbike show.
A letter sent to Yamaha e-bike dealers last week said industry oversupply and soft demand made it “extremely difficult to achieve a sustainable business model,” leading to the decision to exit the U.S. market.
Tester said “a small number” of e-bike-specific staff will be affected by the change. He said the company is working with the staff to explore jobs within other Yamaha divisions.
Yamaha e-bikes have a five-year factory warranty on the drive unit, battery, frame and rigid forks.
“I want to emphasize and clarify that there will be no change in Yamaha’s warranty and support to our eBike customers,” Tester told BRAIN. “Yamaha is committed to an advanced parts procurement to supply customer demands for years to come. 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.”
Trester, who has been with Yamaha more than 30 years, added, "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. We are thankful for our dealer partnerships and to our customers who have and will continue to enjoy our products for years to come."
