Another Dutch company making electric bicycles has collapsed. After VanMoof, Stella and Amslot, it’s Brekr’s turn.
Brekr may not be the best-known brand in electric bicycles, but it made some notable models. It produced electric bikes and scooters in the form of a moped, actually before the fatbike became popular in the Netherlands.
And that very fatbike is one of the things that killed Brekr, says the brand. We’ll explain exactly how that happened.
This maker of electric bikes is out of business
Brekr was founded in the Achterhoek region in 2018 by Niels Willems and Jasper Hagendoorn. And you could tell that the brand was founded in the Achterhoek by the style of the electric bikes. They really looked like mopeds that could go primal fast. Of course that was not the case, because the e-bikes complied with all Dutch regulations.
Brekr has had a lot of bad luck. The company is still struggling with the aftermath of the corona era in 2025. All deliveries were delayed and this happened again when a large freighter got stuck in the Suez Canal. As a result, it could not deliver enough electric bikes.
An e-bike from Brekr) (Image: Brekr)
That crisis passed, but then came another: the fatbike. When Brekr started his dedicated electric bikes, the fatbike was not yet popular. In fact, it didn’t have a negative image back then. That has changed considerably in recent years. You would think that the brand could actually benefit from its popularity, but nothing could be further from the truth.
Whereas Brekr complied with all Dutch rules, this was not the case for cheap Chinese competitors. These flooded the Dutch market and made it difficult for a Dutch electric bike manufacturer to compete. Those, of course, have higher prices.
Still, the makers of Brekr don’t want to give up and believe in a relaunch. It is to be hoped for the company that it succeeds. There are plenty of brands for which that was true, and Brekr certainly has a good foundation with the quality it delivers.
Brekr follows other Dutch companies
Brekr is by no means the first Dutch electric bike company to have to file for bankruptcy. The best-known example is of course VanMoof, but other well-known names such as Amslod and Stella followed later.
These Dutch electric bike makers went bankrupt before
VanMoof: Bankrupt in July 2023; acquired by British company Lavoie.
QWIC: Bankrupt in November 2023; made a restart in March 2024 thanks to a consortium of Dutch investors.
Stella Bicycles: Bankrupt in November 2024; made a restart in December 2024 in slimmed-down form.
Huyser: Bankrupt in November 2024; negotiations for a relaunch are ongoing.
WATT Mobility: Bankrupt in September 2024; no information on a relaunch.
Amslod: Bankrupt in December 2024; trustee exploring options for a relaunch.
Cargoroo: Bankrupt in December 2024; no information on a restart.
Also, a brand like Doppio, which like Brekr made fatbikes, went bankrupt. In January, the Zeeland company Bayck went bankrupt. This company made modular electric bikes, which allowed you to choose your own components.
Fortunately, a number of companies have restarted. So you can just buy a VanMoof or Stella again. Amslod is still investigating whether there are possibilities for a relaunch. Perhaps we will also see Brekr back soon.
