The Netherlands is embracing electric bikes

The Netherlands counts more bikes (about 22.9 million) than inhabitants (17.2 million). — middelveld/IStock.com/AFP

Bicycles are an institution in the Netherlands – the country actually counts more bikes than inhabitants. And now, like elsewhere in Europe, people there are increasingly adopting e-bikes, whose sales are higher than those of classical bicycles, according to recent figures from the Dutch government mobility institute (KiM).

There are more bikes in the Netherlands (about 22.9 million) than its total population (17.2 million). With a ratio of 1.3 bikes per inhabitant, it is the world champion when it comes to cycling. Its popularity in the country is related to the lifestyle of the Dutch and the fact that they associate biking with well-being (its virtues in terms of health benefits and stress reduction have been cited many times).