VanMoof is not the only Dutch electric bike player that has been in trouble recently. After 17 years, Qwic filed for a moratorium last week, and today the curtain officially falls.
While it is annoying to see yet another Dutch brand disappear, the bankruptcy does not really come as a surprise. Not only is it usually a logical extension of a moratorium, but Qwic had been in trouble for some time.
WANT on WhatsApp
We have recently started to be featured on WhatsApp. In our channel we share the best stories, videos and exclusive content you won’t get anywhere else. Follow us here.
Curtain falls on Qwic electric bikes
With the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany as its sales market, Qwic had a long active period. Taco Anema’s company was founded seventeen years ago and sold a total of 200,000 different electric bicycles.
Although that number gave the company a position in the top ten best-selling e-bike brands in the Netherlands, things have been anything but good lately. Last year, for example, Qwic did not release annual figures after sharing a loss in 2021.
A 12 million euro fine from the tax authorities is already not a good time at all, although it was a very bad time for the maker of electric bicycles. Although the reason seemed fathomable (too little import tax paid for parts), the result is catastrophic.
VanMoof bankrupt earlier this summer
Last summer, our country also lost the now rather iconic VanMoof. That maker of electric bicycles was also declared bankrupt by the court after a moratorium.
(Image: Qwic)
The Amsterdam-based brand had been suffering from debt, disappointing sales and dissatisfied customers for some time. The latter was mainly due to its inability to produce parts and help people with broken electric bikes.
For VanMoof, there was eventually a rescue. After the bankruptcy, the Dutch company was acquired by LAVOIE, an electric scooter brand that lovingly revived the company’s electric bikes.
Whether Qwic will be granted a similar future is unknown at this time. But as with VanMoof, today the curtain finally falls, and our country is yet another fine brand poorer.
