MURRIETA, Calif. (BRAIN) — Pierer E-Bikes North America is tweaking its name and announced it is now importing a third e-bike brand — GASGAS — to the U.S. market.
The new name for the North American operations of Austria's Pierer Mobility AG is: PIERER New Mobility North America Inc.
The company currently sells its Husvarna e-bikes through its U.S. and Canadian motorcycle dealers. It sells Felt bicycles, which it bought last year, through bicycle dealers. GASGAS e-bikes will be initially sold through motorcycle dealers in North America.
GASGAS began in Spain in 1985 and was first known as a trials motorcycle brand. Under Pierer, which purchased the brand in 2019, it has expanded into more motorcycle categories and added e-bikes.
"The name change reflects the successful continuation of development within the bicycle business, which goes far beyond e-bikes," said John Hinz, the CEO of PIERER New Mobility North America. "Our ongoing dedication toward this growing segment of business is further reinforced through the investment into the FELT brand and development of the next generation of Husqvarna e-bike products, in addition to the excitement of bringing a new brand to the market with GASGAS Bicycles."
In an interview with BRAIN earlier this fall, Hinz made clear that Felt Bicycles will remain an IBD brand focused on performance bikes in all categories, and will be available only through brick-and-mortar dealers. He suggested at the time that Husqvarna e-bikes could become available to bicycle retailers in the future. U.S. motorcycle retailers offer only a small part of Husqvarna's expansive e-bike product line, he said.
A Pierer representative told BRAIN that GASGAS will announce details of its North American e-bike product line on Dec. 15; Husqvarna will do the same on Dec. 20.
Pierer Mobility also sells KTM motorcycles in the U.S. and Europe. KTM bicycles come from a completely separate Austrian company; they are sold in the U.S. by Cycle Force Group.
