China’s electric bicycle (e-bike) trade-in program has shown impressive early results in 2025, with over 1 million vehicles exchanged in just the first two months of the year, the Ministry of Commerce reported.
During January and February, around 1.019 million e-bikes were traded in through the program, generating a total of 2.66 billion yuan (approximately 370 million USD) in new vehicle sales.
Since its launch last year, the initiative has facilitated the exchange of 2.4 million old e-bikes for new models, contributing to a significant boost in sales totaling 6.4 billion yuan.
The program gained renewed momentum in early 2025 following a joint announcement from five government departments, including the Ministry of Commerce, extending its duration. This extension has been instrumental in driving continued consumer engagement and participation.
To date, over 40,000 retail outlets, predominantly small businesses and independent stores, have joined the trade-in program, signaling a growing interest and enthusiasm from the market.
February saw a particularly remarkable performance, with 863,000 units exchanged—surpassing the previous monthly record of 732,000 units set in 2024. This surge in activity highlights the expanding reach and popularity of the program across the country.
The Ministry of Commerce has emphasized that the trade-in initiative serves multiple purposes, including stimulating consumption, encouraging long-term economic growth, and enhancing consumers’ daily lives.
In addition to the e-bike program, China introduced broader measures to stimulate domestic demand and boost economic growth in early January. These measures include expanding the scope of eligible consumer goods for trade-ins, increasing government subsidies for home appliances from eight categories in 2024 to twelve in 2025, and offering up to 500 yuan in subsidies for digital products such as mobile phones.
The robust performance of the e-bike trade-in program signals growing momentum for China’s broader consumer goods trade-in efforts, with positive implications for economic recovery and market activity in 2025.
