Calvin Thigpen, a policy researcher with 7 years of experience leading policy research at Lime, conducted the research. Calvin has a PhD in Transportation Technology & Policy from the University of California, Davis.
Background: Upway, the global leader in certified e-bikes
Founded in 2021, Upway was created to professionalize the second-hand e-bike market by applying true “Certified Pre-Owned” standards to electric bikes. Today, Upway operates across nine countries in the U.S. and Europe and has already sold more than 130,000 e-bikes, with the ambition of putting one million bikes back on the road by 2030.
In the United States, every e-bike is reconditioned in-house at dedicated UpCenters by trained mechanics. Each bike undergoes a rigorous 50-point inspection that evaluates mechanical components, battery health, motor performance, and electrical systems, alongside frame and safety checks. This process ensures that every bike meets strict quality and reliability standards comparable to a new model.
By combining industrial refurbishment expertise with a circular economy approach, Upway delivers high-quality e-bikes at up to 60% off retail price, backed by a one-year warranty and a 14-day test ride policy. Through this model, Upway is building the infrastructure needed to make safe, affordable, and sustainable electric mobility accessible at scale.
Q&A
Questions about the findings? Contact our Press Team for assistance at press@upway.shop
Who conducted the research?
Why should I trust this research?
This research was conducted by an independent researcher, Calvin Thigpen. The data was shared with Calvin through a data use agreement, which allowed Calvin to clean, process, and analyze the data without any involvement of Upway staff. Furthermore, Calvin conducted an independent poll of the US general public, using a survey instrument designed by Calvin and developed using questions used previously by other e-bike researchers.
The report’s findings are based on large sample sizes. The main findings rely on Upway’s US sales in 2025, which includes over 7,500 e-bikes. The survey results are derived from a sample of over 400 American adults, balanced on gender and age to match overall population proportions, which provides statistics with a margin of error of +/- 5% with a 95% statistical confidence level.