For the first time, Brazil sold more motorcycles than cars. In this scenario, manufacturers of electric models hope to win over more and more consumers. Brazil is experiencing a boom in motorcycle sales. In this scenario, the electric sector, which normally focuses on cars, also has the opportunity to expand into two-wheelers. The strength of delivery, decarbonization and falling costs are at the origin of this movement which has attracted factories to the country and boosted the development of local businesses.
From January to October, the number of electric motorcycles registered in Brazil increased by 20.53% compared to the same period in 2024, according to the National Motor Vehicle Distribution Federation (Fenabrave). The segment is looking to grow in a large market that has over 35 million motorcycles in the country.
With fuel and maintenance savings of up to 40% compared to conventional motorcycles, as well as enough range for all-day city travel, there is high expectation of an expansion in the use of electric motorcycles, particularly in the delivery sector.
Experts highlight the space for fleet decarbonization in this segment, which is reinforced in the Brazilian case by renewable energies, cheaper than in other countries, in addition to incentives to reduce emissions.
Recently, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said the government was evaluating measures to boost the sector. “One thing we want to do is to make financing a motorcycle cheaper, so that delivery drivers have the right to have a motorcycle, preferably electric, to save on greenhouse gas emissions,” he stressed.
Among the big news for 2025 is the announcement of the start of production by the Chinese company Yadea in the Manaus free zone. The automaker, nicknamed the BYD of motorcycles, has chosen Brazil to host its first factory outside Asia. It is the fourth country, after China, to have the company’s factories, following Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand.
Domestically, founded in 2024, Leva Motors is expanding, but seeking sustainable growth. Currently, the brand has nine own stores and plans to sell between 100 and 200 motorcycles per month from next year, compared to around fifty in 2025.
Despite its potential, the electricity market as a whole still has little impact. According to Abraciclo, between January and November, only 0.52% of sales of two-wheeled vehicles were of this type.
More affordable alternatives
This year, for the first time in the historic series, Brazil recorded more sales of motorcycles than cars. “With a lower per capita income, we are looking for alternatives in terms of mobility,” explains Antônio Jorge Martins, professor of economics at the Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV).
Comparing electric and conventional motorcycles, combustion motorcycles are even cheaper. However, prices are expected to match. “There is a lot of work to ensure that the values are equal. Battery prices have fallen,” says Carlos Roma, technical director of the Brazilian Electric Vehicle Association (ABVE). These components account for a large portion of the motorcycle’s costs.
Due to the high price of batteries, the second-hand market is almost non-existent today, which tends to dissuade those hoping to save money on resale. “This market remains a challenge,” recognizes Roma.
Business in China
Chinese interests in expanding its production and exports, as has been the case in the automobile market, are considered essential to the current scenario. According to Martins, the rise of automakers like BYD in the country has helped generate trust in the Asian giant’s brands, paving the way for other companies. “The arrival of cars has benefited Chinese motorcycle manufacturers as a whole,” he says.
“Today there are very good relations between the country and the Chinese government, which seeks to generate foreign currencies,” underlines Roma. According to him, when there was a vision in Beijing that the government would benefit from encouraging the electric motorcycle market in Brazil, the opportunity to position itself strengthened.
On the other hand, a big difference, according to Gabriel Pilão, director and co-founder of Leva, is that the automotive sector has made heavy investments in marketing in the country. BYD’s advance was marked by a massive advertising campaign, in which some of Brazil’s main media participated. In this sense, the ability of motorcycle manufacturers to carry out actions of a similar magnitude is limited.
Keep an eye on deliveries
“In ten years, all work motorcycles will tend to be electric in the country. In fact, the centers of large cities should stop allowing combustion models,” Roma projects. His vision is supported by decisions in a series of places around the world that promise the same restrictions on cars from the next decade. In this scenario, the expansion of not only the fleet, but also the battery exchange points, is considered essential.
Delivery has always been considered a key point of electrification, which has motivated some of the main Brazilian companies in the sector to operate in motorcycle rental. One thing that has impacted the market is the high interest rates in the country. With the Selic base rate of 15%, financing your own vehicle tends to become more expensive, which encourages leasing.
In September 1999, in partnership with the Federal Government, announced an amount of 6 billion reais to facilitate workers’ access to motorcycles and electric bicycles, through credit lines, leasing and strategic agreements with manufacturers. Ifood, along with other funds, this year set a goal of selling up to 600,000 electric motorcycles per year by 2035, in an initiative that included an initial contribution of almost 40 million reais.
Legislation
The market awaits with great anticipation the impact of the series of changes that the government has promoted in the Highway Code, including the need for registration for lower-powered vehicles and the reduction in the cost of obtaining the National Driving License (CNH). In the country, an estimated 50% of motorcyclists travel without a license, with driving school fees being one of the main obstacles.
According to Roma, the ease of obtaining a driving license tends to boost certain segments, but the compulsory registration of vehicles that previously circulated without major obstacles could pose a challenge for the sector. “In this case, it is possible that there will be a decrease in the speed of market growth,” he says.
From January 1, 2026, new rules will apply to vehicles considered “mopeds”, which correspond to a large part of the scooters and mopeds sold in the country. Among the requirements, in addition to registration, will be the need to obtain a permit and the use of helmets. As for electric bikes, the obligation is not the same, but drivers must respect local traffic rules.
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