The introduction of the new national standard presents a significant hurdle for the 20 million food delivery riders.

On December 1, the latest "Safety Technical Specifications for Electric Bicycles" officially commenced a new phase of comprehensive implementation, prohibiting the sale of vehicles that fail to meet the new criteria. Dubbed the "strictest ever," this move aims to bolster safety and curb fire risks as well as illegal modifications. However, it has inadvertently sparked a wave of collective dissatisfaction among users: the new standard bikes are perceived as too slow, unattractive, costly, and cumbersome.

Among the widespread grievances, food delivery riders have been the most vocal. These riders traverse city streets day and night, racing against the clock to fulfill numerous deliveries. Range, speed, load capacity, and climbing ability directly impact their earnings. Now, with their "warhorses" constrained by the new speed limit, how can they continue their livelihood?

It is reported that the new national standard electric bicycles for 2025 will undergo several refinements, encompassing fire resistance, total plastic mass, pedal-riding devices, and maximum vehicle weight. The top speed is capped at 25km/h. The standard also advocates for the installation of rearview mirrors and turn signals on electric bicycles, proposes the incorporation of Beidou positioning, communication, and dynamic safety monitoring functions, and eliminates the possibility of illegal "speed modifications."

These modifications undoubtedly signify technological advancement, marking a pivotal step towards standardization and safety in the industry. However, they have triggered considerable backlash in practical applications.

Firstly, they are perceived as too slow. The top speed is capped at 25km/h, and power is cut off when exceeded, leading to severe power shortages when climbing hills or carrying passengers. Secondly, they are cumbersome to use. To adhere to fire safety requirements, a substantial amount of plastic has been replaced with metal, resulting in rigid body lines, reduced storage space, and smaller seat buckets. Thirdly, they have become more expensive. Owing to upgraded materials and technology, vehicles adhering to the "new national standard" are pricier. According to Red Star Capital, new standard electric bicycles from Yadea and Tailg are over 300 yuan more expensive than their predecessors.

Amidst this industry transformation, two-wheeled electric vehicle brands like Ninebot, Yadea, and Niu Technologies must adapt to the challenges posed by the new standard, including strengthening connections with young user demographics and upgrading research, development, and manufacturing capabilities. The new national standard is not the endpoint but the starting point for a new round of intelligent and high-end product innovation.

Ninebot: Channel Deficiencies of an Intelligent Pioneer

The two-wheeled electric vehicle industry, propelled by the new national standard, is accelerating its shift towards intelligence and high-end models. In this transformation, Ninebot has successfully capitalized on the intelligent track with its inherent technological prowess, establishing a significant first-mover advantage.

Ninebot's core strength lies in its intelligent-centric approach, encompassing product philosophy, technical architecture, and research and development systems. It has constructed a robust technological moat in key areas such as intelligent vehicle networking, human-machine interaction, and autonomous driving assistance.

Financial data reveals that in the first three quarters of 2025, Ninebot's research and development investment reached 872 million yuan, a 59% year-on-year increase. By the first half of 2025, it had accumulated nearly 6,000 global intellectual property rights and led or participated in over 110 domestic and international technical standards. This systematic intelligent capability, built from the ground up, is challenging for traditional brands to emulate through short-term efforts.

High-intensity R&D investment has directly translated into robust market performance and product competitiveness. Financial data indicates that in the third quarter of 2025, the company's electric two-wheeled vehicle business sustained high growth, with sales of 1.4867 million units and revenue of 4.454 billion yuan, representing year-on-year increases of 58.6% and 71.8%, respectively.

Moreover, Ninebot has initially constructed an intelligent mobility-centric ecosystem through software systems, data platforms, and user communities. This has elevated it to an "intelligent mobility technology brand," firmly establishing a tech-savvy, trendy, and high-end brand image among young consumers.

However, amidst its rapid ascent, Ninebot faces dual challenges: backlash from traditional giants and its own channel deficiencies.

Firstly, its heavy reliance on young consumers and online marketing, while a potent tool for rapid breakthroughs, may become a bottleneck for future development. This relatively singular label limits its penetration into broader age groups and lower-tier markets and exposes it to questions of over-marketing when product iterations slow or market trends shift.

Secondly, the offline channel-dominated industry landscape remains unchanged. User experience, purchasing, and after-sales services still heavily rely on physical networks. Although Ninebot has over 9,700 specialty stores, their depth and density remain key constraints on further scaling compared to well-established traditional giants.

In summary, Ninebot has successfully capitalized on opportunities in the wave of intelligence and high-endization, standing out in the industry with its technological leadership, brand differentiation, and growth quality. However, challenges such as channel deficiencies, limited market penetration, and backlash from traditional giants remain formidable.

Yadea: The Leader's "Ace" and "Burden"

As the industry leader with consecutive years of leading sales, Yadea holds the "ace" of traditional strengths but also faces dual pressures from emerging brands and rising user expectations amid the new national standard-driven wave of intelligence and high-endization.

Yadea's most significant competitive barrier lies in its most comprehensive offline channel network. Public data shows that from 2019 to 2024, Yadea's sales outlets expanded rapidly from 12,000 to 42,000, covering almost all county-level cities and townships nationwide. This channel density not only ensures product reach but also builds a robust after-sales service system.

In contrast, emerging brands like Ninebot and Niu Technologies have experience stores in first- and second-tier cities but weak service capabilities in county and rural markets. These regions constitute a significant portion of China's actual demand for two-wheeled electric vehicles. Yadea holds an overwhelming advantage in "last-mile" services, a key support for maintaining market share during the early stages of intelligence penetration.

Additionally, its mature supply chain and large-scale manufacturing capabilities bring strong cost control, rapid capacity response, and stable financial performance. Financial data shows that in the first half of 2025, it achieved revenue of 19.186 billion yuan, a 33.1% year-on-year increase; net profit of 1.649 billion yuan, a 59.5% year-on-year increase; and sold 8.7935 million electric bicycles, a 33.77% year-on-year increase, confirming the resilience of its business model.

However, in the core track of intelligence, which determines the future, Yadea's "giant ship" faces inertia in turning.

At the intelligent level, Yadea's pursuit requires not just R&D investment but a deep reconstruction of the organization's mindset towards software-defined products. Most of its models now have basic App connectivity, but this resembles feature stacking rather than the native intelligence built from the ground up like Ninebot's. It lags in operating system smoothness, OTA upgrade experience loops, and data-driven scenario-based service ecosystems.

At the high-end level, Yadea faces deeper cognitive conflicts. Its image as a "durable and affordable" national vehicle is deeply ingrained, a golden brand in lower-tier markets but a heavy "brand burden" when entering the high-end market. Although it has launched high-end sub-brands like VFLY to break through, constrained by the strong cognitive inertia of the main brand, mixed sales in terminal channels, and failure to create breakthrough buzz, the market response has remained lukewarm, failing to establish a truly independent high-end mindset.

In summary, Yadea possesses channel and scale advantages that new forces desire but struggle to replicate, yet it also carries historical burdens inevitable on the transformation path.

Niu Technologies: The "Quality Control" Hurdle for an Idealist

Like Ninebot, in the value-reshaping revolution of the new national standard, Niu Technologies has emerged as a formidable force in the intelligent and high-end tracks with its unique brand positioning and product philosophy.

Since its inception, Niu Technologies has aimed to redefine two-wheeled mobility. Its native-developed NIU OS system deeply integrates vehicle control, safety, navigation, and social ecosystems, providing a far smoother and more integrated intelligent experience than the "feature-stacking" approach of traditional brands, constructing its core technological and experiential moat.

Meanwhile, Niu Technologies has built a clear product matrix covering diverse scenarios. From the compact GOVA series for commuting to the performance-oriented FX Wind Speed Edition and the all-round flagship NXT Ultra, Niu has formed a product system covering daily commuting, urban travel, short trips, and performance recreation, meeting the needs of different user segments.

Financial data reveals that in the third quarter, Niu Technologies achieved revenue of 1.694 billion yuan, a 65% year-on-year increase; net profit of 81.7 million yuan, compared to a net loss of 40.9 million yuan in the same period last year, marking two consecutive quarters of profitability. In terms of sales, total vehicle sales in the third quarter reached 465,873 units, a 49.1% year-on-year increase, with 451,455 units sold in the Chinese market, a 74.2% year-on-year increase.

However, between idealism and reality, Niu Technologies faces profound strategic challenges.

Like other new forces, Niu's growth heavily relies on online marketing and urban young consumers, creating fragility in its market base. Its channel network is highly concentrated in first- and second-tier cities, with insufficient penetration in lower-tier markets. Once vehicles break down in lower-tier cities, lengthy repair cycles and scarce parts quickly erode brand reputation.

Niu Technologies also faces a quality control crisis, as its pursuit of design, technology, and experience excellence has overlooked fundamental quality control issues. Online complaints about Niu's assembly processes, paint flaws, and abnormal noises frequently arise. When consumers become cautious about "experience premiums," these fundamental shortcomings are amplified.

Faced with structural shortcomings in channels, services, and product quality, Niu's true test lies not in technology itself but in finding a sustainable balance between the ideal of being an "intelligent leader" and the reality of being a "reliable tool."

Who Will Fall Behind Amid New National Standard Complaints?

Under the dual pressure of policy enforcement and consumer rationality, Ninebot, Yadea, and Niu Technologies stand at different starting lines, facing distinct dilemmas and breakthrough paths.

The new national standard is superficially a technical compliance battle but essentially a reconstruction of user value. The era of winning through speed, appearance, and low prices is over. Ninebot must prove that intelligence is not just a toy for young people but a guarantee of safety and efficiency. Yadea needs to answer whether traditional giants can win high-end trust with pragmatic intelligence. Niu must bridge the gap from "high appearance" to "practical and user-friendly."

In this value battle with no retreat, the fastest breakthrough may not come from the most technologically advanced or highest-selling but from the one that best understands users and dares to self-revolution.