Refurbished E-Bike Market 2026: Bosch Certification, Decathlon and Upway Accelerate the Second-Hand Market

Refurbished E-Bike Market 2026: Bosch Certification, Decathlon and Upway Accelerate the Second-Hand Market

The European e-bike market is entering a new phase.

Instead of focusing only on new-bike sales, manufacturers, leasing companies, retailers and refurbishment specialists are building a more professional refurbished e-bike ecosystem.

Germany is one of the most important markets in this transition. Leasing returns are creating a growing supply of used e-bikes, while professional refurbishment companies are building standardized inspection and resale processes.

At the same time, major industry players are becoming more involved.

Bosch has introduced “Certified by Bosch” for pre-owned e-bikes, Decathlon has become the majority shareholder of Rebike Mobility, and Upway is expanding its industrial refurbishment network across Europe and North America.

Together, these developments indicate a broader shift:

The second-hand e-bike market is moving from informal resale toward professional, certified and service-backed refurbishment.

For the e-bike supply chain, this trend creates another opportunity that is easy to overlook: the demand for replacement and compatible e-bike chargers after a bicycle is refurbished.

The Refurbished E-Bike Market Is Becoming More Professional

The traditional second-hand e-bike transaction was relatively simple.

An owner sold a used bike, and the buyer evaluated the frame, motor, battery and overall condition based largely on the seller’s description.

Professional refurbishment changes this model.

A refurbished e-bike can now go through a structured process involving:

• Battery health inspection

• Motor diagnostics

• Electrical system testing

• Mechanical inspection

• Component replacement

• Software updates

• Cleaning and cosmetic refurbishment

• Road testing

• Warranty

• Condition reporting

This changes the product from simply being a used e-bike into a professionally refurbished e-bike.

Rebike, for example, describes its refurbishment process as TÜV Rheinland-certified and provides refurbished e-bikes with documented inspection and warranty support.

Upway has adopted a similar industrial approach. The company says it has refurbished and sold more than 100,000 electric bikes since its launch and currently operates across nine countries in Europe and the United States.

Why Are More E-Bikes Entering the Refurbishment Market?

One important source of used e-bikes is the leasing market.

Corporate e-bike leasing has become an important part of the European bicycle ecosystem. When leasing contracts end, a large number of relatively young e-bikes can return to the market.

These bikes are different from many traditional second-hand bicycles.

They may have:

• Known ownership history

• Maintenance records

• Relatively recent production dates

• High-quality components

• Battery and motor data

• Existing service networks

This creates an attractive supply of used e-bikes for professional refurbishment companies.

Data from Zukunft Fahrrad also shows that returns from bicycle leasing programs increased substantially, highlighting the growing importance of leasing returns as a source of refurbishment inventory.

For refurbishers, however, receiving the bicycle is only the beginning.

The vehicle still needs to pass a technical inspection before it can be sold again.

Battery Health Is One of the Biggest Challenges

Among all e-bike components, the battery is one of the most important factors affecting the value of a refurbished e-bike.

A used bicycle may look almost new from the outside while its battery has experienced hundreds of charging cycles.

Important battery indicators can include:

• Remaining capacity

• Number of charging cycles

• Battery age

• Voltage

• Charging behavior

• BMS status

• Temperature history

• Cell condition

This is why professional refurbishment programs increasingly focus on battery diagnostics.

A 2026 German consumer study commissioned by Rebike found that 61.8% of respondents were willing to buy professionally refurbished e-bikes. The study also found that an individual inspection and refurbishment report was the most important factor influencing consumer confidence, cited by 49.1% of respondents.

The message is clear:

Consumers are increasingly willing to buy refurbished e-bikes, but they want evidence that the bike has been properly inspected.

And this leads to an important question:

What happens after the battery and electrical system have been inspected?

A Refurbished E-Bike May Also Need a New Charger

The charger is often overlooked in discussions about refurbished e-bikes.

However, when a used e-bike is prepared for resale, its original charger may:

• Be missing

• Be damaged

• Have a worn cable

• Have an incompatible connector

• No longer meet the refurbisher’s requirements

• Be unsuitable for the replacement battery

• Come from a previous owner without proper documentation

This creates a recurring requirement for replacement e-bike chargers.

For professional refurbishers, a charger is not simply an accessory.

It can become part of the refurbishment supply chain.

For example, if a refurbishment center processes hundreds or thousands of e-bikes every month, it may need a stable supply of compatible chargers for different:

• Battery voltages

• Charging currents

• Connector types

• Battery chemistries

• Motor systems

• E-bike brands

• Model generations

This is where an OEM/ODM e-bike charger manufacturer can provide value.

Why Charger Compatibility Matters After E-Bike Refurbishment

A refurbished e-bike may use a battery configuration different from the original production specification.

For example, a professional refurbisher may replace or service the battery while retaining the existing electrical architecture.

The charger must therefore be matched to the actual battery system.

Consider several common charging specifications:

The important point is that battery voltage and charger output voltage must be correctly matched.

A charger should not be selected simply because its connector fits the bicycle.

The battery chemistry, full-charge voltage, charging current and BMS requirements must also be considered.

Bosch Is Bringing More Transparency to the Used E-Bike Market

One of the most important developments in 2026 is Bosch’s Certified by Bosch program.

Bosch eBike Systems introduced the digital certification system to make the condition of pre-owned e-bike systems more transparent.

The certificate can provide information about:

• Battery condition

• Charging cycles

• Remaining battery capacity

• Drive-unit condition

• Mileage

• Power usage

• Model information

• Frame number

• System status

It also provides security-related information, including whether the e-bike has been reported as stolen in the Bosch eBike Flow system and whether there are indications of tuning.

Certificate authenticity can be checked through a QR code and serial-number comparison.

Rebike became the first refurbishment partner to use Certified by Bosch from July 2026, initially covering Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and the Netherlands. Bosch says the program is planned to expand to specialist bicycle retailers from the beginning of 2027.

This is an important signal for the market.

The industry is moving toward:

Used → Inspected → Certified → Refurbished → Guaranteed

rather than simply:

Used → Resold

Decathlon Is Moving Deeper Into the Refurbished E-Bike Market

Certification solves part of the problem.

Distribution solves another.

In January 2026, Decathlon Pulse, the investment arm and startup studio of Decathlon, increased its investment in Rebike Mobility and became its majority shareholder.

Rebike remains an independent company and brand, while the partnership aims to expand refurbished e-bike distribution and develop the circular-economy model across Europe.

The partnership is also expanding physical retail distribution.

In February 2026, Decathlon announced a broader national rollout of Rebike concepts, including additional shop-in-shop locations in German Decathlon stores.

This is important because it brings refurbished e-bikes closer to mainstream retail.

The market is no longer limited to specialist online platforms.

It is increasingly becoming part of the established bicycle retail ecosystem.

Upway Is Building Industrial-Scale Refurbishment Infrastructure

Upway provides another example of how the market is scaling.

Founded in 2021, Upway has already refurbished and sold more than 100,000 e-bikes.

In 2025, the company announced a $60 million Series C funding round and plans to significantly expand its refurbishment infrastructure.

At the time of the announcement, Upway operated six industrial refurbishment centers in New York, Los Angeles, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Paris and Antwerp, with plans for additional facilities across Europe and the United States.

The company has also stated an ambition to refurbish and sell more than 1 million e-bikes by 2030.

Its expansion illustrates an important change in the industry:

E-bike refurbishment is increasingly being treated as an industrial operation rather than a small-scale resale business.

What Does This Mean for E-Bike Charger Demand?

This is where the refurbishment trend becomes particularly relevant to charger manufacturers.

When a professional refurbisher processes a large number of e-bikes, it needs more than replacement mechanical components.

It also needs reliable electrical accessories.

A refurbishment center may need chargers for:

• Replacement batteries

• Missing original chargers

• Damaged chargers

• Different battery generations

• Fleet returns

• Rental returns

• Retail resale

• Service departments

• Battery testing

• Workshop charging

This can create recurring B2B demand rather than one-time consumer demand.

For charger manufacturers, the opportunity is therefore not limited to new e-bike production.

There is another market:

The second-life e-bike charging ecosystem.

Why Refurbishers May Prefer Standardized Charger Supply

Professional refurbishment companies typically need consistency.

Imagine a refurbishment operation handling thousands of e-bikes.

If every replacement charger comes from a different supplier, the workshop may have to manage:

• Different quality levels

• Different connector standards

• Different cable lengths

• Different packaging

• Different warranty policies

• Different certification documentation

A standardized charger supply can simplify inventory and workshop operations.

For example, a refurbisher may develop a procurement specification around:

Output voltage + current + connector + cable length + safety certification + packaging

Instead of purchasing random replacement chargers from consumer marketplaces.

This is where direct manufacturer cooperation can become valuable.

XVE E-Bike Chargers for Refurbishment and OEM Projects

XVE develops custom e-bike battery chargers for OEM, ODM and B2B applications.

For refurbished e-bike programs, the charger requirement can be different from a traditional new-bike OEM project.

The customer may need:

• Stable replacement charger supply

• Multiple voltage options

• Multiple current options

• Standardized connectors

• Customized cable lengths

• Private-label packaging

• Certification support

• Consistent production quality

• Small-batch sampling

• Bulk production

For example, XVE develops charger solutions such as:

42V 2A E-Bike Charger

Designed for compatible 36V lithium-ion battery systems.

54.6V 3A E-Bike Charger

Designed for compatible 48V lithium-ion battery systems.

These are examples rather than universal specifications. The correct charger must always be selected according to the actual battery, BMS and charging requirements.

For refurbishment companies, this distinction is especially important because the battery configuration may vary across different e-bike models.

Refurbishment Creates a Different Type of Charger Customer

A new e-bike manufacturer usually asks:

“Can you develop a charger for our new model?”

A refurbishment company may ask:

“Can you supply reliable chargers for multiple existing battery systems?”

That creates a different procurement model.

The customer may care more about:

Compatibility + Availability + Consistency + Certification + Cost + MOQ

than about developing a completely new charger from scratch.

For this type of project, an experienced charger manufacturer can help evaluate:

• Battery voltage

• Full-charge voltage

• Charging current

• Connector

• Cable

• Battery chemistry

• BMS requirements

• Target market

• Certification requirements

This can make the transition from refurbishment workshop to standardized charger procurement more efficient.

From Used E-Bike to Certified Second-Life Product

The development of the refurbished e-bike market can be viewed as a four-stage process.

Stage 1 — Used

The bicycle is simply resold.

Stage 2 — Refurbished

Mechanical and electrical components are inspected and repaired.

Stage 3 — Certified

Battery and drive-system condition become more transparent.

Stage 4 — Professional Distribution

The refurbished e-bike enters established retail and online channels with inspection, warranty and standardized service.

Bosch, Rebike, Decathlon and Upway are all contributing to different parts of this ecosystem.

The result is a market that looks increasingly similar to other mature refurbished-product categories.

What Could Happen Next?

The next phase of the refurbished e-bike market may focus on standardization.

That could include:

• Battery health reports

• Digital service records

• Standardized inspection procedures

• Certified refurbishment

• Professional warranties

• Battery replacement

• Charger standardization

• Parts supply networks

• Buy-back programs

• Leasing-return infrastructure

As more e-bikes enter their second life, the supporting supply chain will also become more important.

That includes batteries, motors, displays, controllers, cables, connectors and e-bike battery chargers.

For charger manufacturers, this represents a potentially attractive B2B opportunity alongside traditional new-bike OEM programs.

The Bigger Opportunity for E-Bike Charger Manufacturers

The growth of refurbished e-bikes changes the addressable market for chargers.

Previously, charger demand was closely linked to:

New E-Bike Sales

Now it can also be linked to:

New E-Bike Production + Leasing Returns + Refurbishment + Battery Replacement + After-Sales Service

This creates a broader ecosystem.

For professional refurbishers, fleet operators, leasing companies, retailers and e-bike brands, the charger can become part of the standardized refurbishment package.

And as the refurbished e-bike market becomes more professional, the requirements for charger quality, compatibility and supply consistency are likely to increase as well.

Conclusion

The European refurbished e-bike market is moving beyond informal second-hand transactions.

Bosch’s Certified by Bosch program is improving transparency around battery and drive-system condition. Decathlon’s majority investment in Rebike is strengthening the connection between refurbishment and mainstream retail. Upway is expanding industrial refurbishment infrastructure across Europe and North America.

Together, these developments point toward a more professional second-life e-bike ecosystem.

For the supply chain, this creates opportunities beyond the sale of new e-bikes.

Every refurbished e-bike still needs a reliable electrical system, and in many cases it also needs a compatible charger.

For refurbishment companies and B2B e-bike businesses, working with an experienced e-bike charger manufacturer can help standardize charger supply across different battery specifications and applications.

XVE provides OEM/ODM e-bike charger solutions, including customizable voltage, current, connector, cable and certification requirements.

If your company is building a refurbished e-bike program, replacing chargers for leasing-return bikes, or developing a standardized charger supply for multiple e-bike models, XVE can evaluate the battery and charging specifications and develop a suitable solution.

Have an e-bike refurbishment or charger sourcing project?

Provide the battery voltage, charging current, connector and estimated quantity to discuss an OEM/ODM charger solution with XVE.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do refurbished e-bikes need new chargers?

Not every refurbished e-bike needs a new charger. However, chargers may need to be replaced when the original charger is missing, damaged, incompatible with a replacement battery, or unsuitable for the refurbishment program.

What charger is commonly used for a 36V e-bike battery?

A compatible 36V lithium-ion e-bike battery commonly uses a charger with a 42V charging output, but the exact charging specification should be confirmed against the battery and BMS.

What charger is commonly used for a 48V lithium-ion e-bike battery?

A compatible 48V lithium-ion battery commonly uses a 54.6V charger, with charging current selected according to the battery manufacturer’s specifications.

Why is battery health important for refurbished e-bikes?

Battery condition strongly affects the range, value and usability of a refurbished e-bike. Professional refurbishment programs may evaluate charging cycles, remaining capacity, system status and other battery-health indicators.

Can XVE provide replacement e-bike chargers?

Yes. XVE develops customized e-bike chargers for OEM, ODM, refurbishment and B2B applications. Voltage, current, connectors, cables and other specifications can be customized according to project requirements.

Can XVE supply multiple e-bike charger specifications?

Yes. XVE can develop and manufacture different voltage and current configurations for compatible lithium battery systems, helping B2B customers standardize charger sourcing across different e-bike models.

What information is needed to customize an e-bike charger?

Useful information includes battery chemistry, nominal voltage, full-charge voltage, charging current, battery capacity, connector, cable length, BMS requirements, target market, certification requirements and estimated order quantity.

Can XVE develop chargers for other robot applications?

Yes. Charger solutions can also be developed for service robots, industrial robots, lawn robots, pool robots, cleaning robots and other lithium-battery-powered equipment, depending on the project requirements.

Contact XVE today to request a datasheet or compliance documentation.
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