"Riding Hills and Racing on Sand"… China Reveals Ambitions as the 'Electric Kickboard' Mecca

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"Approximately 20-30 Participating"
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China is confidently asserting that its technology for electric kickboards, which are gaining attention as next-generation mobility devices, is superior to anyone else's at 'CES 2025,' the world's largest electronics and information technology (IT) exhibition held at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the United States, openly revealing its ambition to dominate the global market.

The promotional booklet created by the Chinese electric scooter manufacturer MiniWalker features the slogan "Speed up your life." on its first page. Photo by Kim Hyung-min

On the 9th (local time), Chinese electric kickboard manufacturers virtually took over the booths on the east side of the North Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center, where mobility companies from around the world showcase their representative technologies, displaying a variety of electric kickboards they produced.

The focus of visitors' attention was on the photos and videos on the back wall of the products. In the photos and videos, models were shown riding the electric kickboards effortlessly climbing mountains and rocks and speeding across sandy beaches with crashing waves.

A representative from the Chinese leading electric kickboard manufacturer 'VSETT' met on-site confidently answered our question, "Can these products really climb rocks and mountains?" with "Yes." He added, "There are numerous electric kickboard manufacturers in China," and "About 20 to 30 companies participated in CES 2025."

Chinese electric scooter company 'VSETT' displayed a photo of a model riding an electric scooter down a mountain to the right of a photo of a model riding a mountain bike at their booth at the CES 2025 exhibition at the Las Vegas Convention Center on the 8th (local time). Photo by Kim Hyung-min

If a kickboard, which is relatively smaller than cars or bicycles, can climb mountains and cross rocks, it means that the frame and wheels of the product are quite sturdy and solid. According to promotional brochures provided by Chinese companies, their electric kickboards are not only fast but also smart. The top speed ranges from at least 40 km/h to as much as 70 km/h, and an LCD display monitor is installed between the two handlebars, functioning similarly to navigation in cars. Chinese companies explained that artificial intelligence (AI) technology could also be applied in the future. It is interpreted that they aim to improve the quality of their products to a level where electric kickboards can be ridden anywhere beyond the usual urban roads. The Chinese company 'MiniWalker' even displayed the promotional slogan, "Speed up your life."

According to related industries, China has recently exerted considerable influence in the 'personal mobility' market, which includes electric kickboards. Market research firm McKinsey forecasts that by 2030, China, along with the United States and Europe, will expand the potential personal mobility market size to $500 billion (729 trillion KRW). Considering that the Boston Consulting Group estimated the personal mobility market size at $4 billion to $5 billion (about 5 trillion to 7 trillion KRW) in 2019, the market size is expected to increase approximately 100 times in 11 years. As delivery and substitute driving industries, which involve short-distance travel, have greatly developed in China, the number of people using electric kickboards and similar devices has exponentially increased. Consequently, companies have been mass-producing products and actively developing technologies. The general industry view is that the environment has become difficult for foreign electric kickboard companies to compete due to the combination of low prices and strong technological capabilities.

A Chinese electric scooter company displayed its products at the CES 2025 exhibition booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center on the 8th (local time), waiting for visitors. Photo by Kim Hyung-min

A Chinese electric scooter company displayed its products at its booth at the CES 2025 exhibition at the Las Vegas Convention Center on the 8th (local time), waiting for visitors. Photo by Kim Hyung-min

A Chinese electric scooter company displayed its products at its booth at the CES 2025 exhibition at the Las Vegas Convention Center on the 8th (local time), waiting for visitors. Photo by Kim Hyung-min

Recently, Chinese-made electric kickboards have been indiscriminately flooding into South Korea through companies guaranteeing low-cost delivery, prompting the domestic industry to strongly demand government crackdowns. The Korea Mobility Industry Association proposed to the National Institute of Technology and Standards under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy around November last year to strengthen safety standards for directly imported electric bicycles and electric kickboards. There are concerns about safety issues such as fires caused by defective batteries in Chinese products, and measures to prevent these problems are needed.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.