Nearly 3,000 powered cycles and e-bikes were stolen last year in London – likely to be the highest figure on record – according to new research on micromobility from Pelion, the internet of things (IoT) connectivity provider.

Figures obtained through freedom of information by the firm from The Metropolitan Police Service showed there were 2,966 powered cycles and e-bikes stolen in the UK capital during 2025 – up 21% on the year before (2,448).

The findings are part of Pelion’s report on the micromobility sector, ‘How connectivity serves as the backbone for e-bikes and micromobility fleets’, produced in partnership with Berg Insight.

Figure 1: Number of powered cycles and e-bikes stolen in London, 2021-2025
Year
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
# thefts
2,171
2,216
2,120
2,448
2,966
Source: Metropolitan Police, Pelion

The figures follow recent data from Transport for London that showed a 50% year-on-year increase in demand for rental e-scooters in the 12 months to September 2025. The city’s trial scheme with operators Lime and Voi has expanded significantly in recent years – rental e-scooters are now available across more than 1,600 parking bays in 11 participating boroughs.

Pelion’s report also found that London had the highest number of e-bikes of the cities studied, with more than 75,000 across free-floating and station-based schemes. That compared to 38,000 in Paris, 20,000 in Berlin, and 18,000 in Milan. However, the city had just 4,000 e-scooters due to strict controls – each operator is limited to 2,000 vehicles – which was far behind Berlin’s 19,000.

Dave Weidner, CEO of Pelion, said: “E-bikes and powered cycles have shifted from low-value assets to high-value targets. Their portability and resale value make them significantly more vulnerable to theft than cars or motorcycles, and the impact is growing as adoption scales.

“In that context, connectivity-enabled services are becoming a clear differentiator for manufacturers looking to strengthen their market position in this space. Many are already responding by adopting stolen vehicle tracking solutions based on embedded cellular connectivity, reflected in the growing volume of telematics deployments across the sector.

“In some markets, insurers are already mandating approved tracking solutions or pricing risk accordingly. That dynamic will only accelerate. Theft is no longer a side issue in micromobility, it is becoming a defining factor in how these services are built, deployed, and scaled in London, across the UK, and Europe.”