Upway ramps up European rollout with new Illingen hub for refurbished e-bikes
Upway expands with a 10,500 m² refurbishment centre in Illingen, boosting capacity for refurbished e-bikes and signaling accelerated growth in Germany and Europe.
Upway, the French start-up that rebuilds and resells refurbished e-bikes, is accelerating its European expansion with a new 10,500 square metre refurbishment centre planned in Illingen, Germany, for late April 2026. The company, founded in 2021 by Stéphane Ficaja and Toussaint Wattinne, has built a network of processing centres that disassemble, test and repair used electric bicycles for resale. The Illingen site joins a portfolio that includes facilities in Paris, Amsterdam, Düsseldorf, Berlin and the United States, and is part of a broader push to scale volume and profitability.
Gennevilliers workshop processes dozens of bikes daily
The company’s original facility in Gennevilliers on the outskirts of Paris remains a busy staging ground for the refurbishment operation. Technicians there handle a range of repairs, from brake and chain replacements to full battery swaps, turning out an estimated 75 to 100 refurbished e-bikes each day. That hands-on throughput is the foundation of Upway’s quality control and helps the company maintain uniform standards across different brands and models.
Amsterdam centre increases logistical scale
Late March 2026 saw the unveiling of Upway’s largest centre to date in Amsterdam, a hub of roughly 10,000 square metres intended to centralize processing for northern Europe. That facility surpasses several existing European sites in footprint and is positioned to speed refurbishment cycles and shipping across the region. Management says the investment in high-capacity centres is designed to cut turnaround times and lower per-unit costs as volumes rise.
Funding and valuation back aggressive expansion
Investors have backed Upway’s growth with sizable capital injections and a valuation that has turned heads in mobility circles. The start-up was most recently valued at about $400 million and closed a $60 million funding round in November 2025 led by A.P. Moller, according to company statements. The investor mix has been diverse; public disclosures note participation by private equity and strategic backers, and the company has attracted visible names including professional athletes as minority investors.
Product offering, pricing and consumer protections
Upway targets buyers for whom a new e-bike priced at €3,000–€4,000 is out of reach, positioning refurbished e-bikes at roughly half that cost in many cases. Typical listings place previously owned models in the €1,500–€2,000 range, with optional service add-ons such as insurance that amounts to about ten percent of the purchase price. The company offers a standard two-week return window and a one-year warranty on core components including the battery, frame and electronics, signalling a retail approach that mirrors new-bike expectations.
Germany becomes central to revenue and hiring plans
Germany is already Upway’s most important market, accounting for about 30–35 percent of current revenues, and the company has set a target of reaching roughly 40 percent as it scales. Executives cite improved cycling infrastructure, population density and sustained interest in electric mobility as drivers of demand there. The new Illingen centre is expected to employ about 50 people initially and expand to between 180 and 200 roles in the medium term, with local officials and political figures slated to attend the opening.
Competition, market positioning and sustainability angle
Upway operates alongside a growing set of competitors in the refurbished e-bike market, from Germany’s Rebike and Münster-based Velio to legacy retailers and new online platforms. The start-up argues its scale, centralized refurbishment standards and broad geographic footprint give it an edge in unit economics and product availability. The business also leans into sustainability messaging: refurbishing existing electric bicycles extends product lifecycles, reduces waste and offers an affordable low-carbon transport option to a wider segment of the population.
Upway’s strategic roadmap includes adding one or two new countries to its distribution footprint each year and an ambition to sell more than one million refurbished e-bikes by 2030. Management reports that revenue roughly doubled to about €150 million in the most recent financial year compared with the prior period, and that profitability has already been reached in select markets such as Belgium and the Netherlands. With Germany slated for further expansion in the coming months and planned centres through 2030, Upway aims to pair rapid scale with tighter unit economics to cement its role in the secondhand electric-bike market.
