China’s electric two-wheeler market is undergoing a deeper shift in public perception.
At a launch event in Sichuan, Aima officially unveiled Black Wing, a high-speed sport brand built specifically for young men. Zhou Guanyu, China’s first Formula 1 driver, appeared remotely as part of the launch, while three Black Wing variants, the S360 Esports edition, S360 Track edition, and S790 Cyber edition, made their debuts.
The signal for investors and entrepreneurs is clear: after building strong barriers in the women-focused and basic commuting segments, Aima is pushing into performance and sport electric motorcycles for young male consumers.
Through interviews with three executives at Aima Technology Group, 36Kr sought to unpack how the maturing electric two-wheeler market is moving from functional transportation toward a broader experience upgrade, and how Aima is anchoring itself in the social dynamics of Gen Z consumers while challenging the industry’s long-held conventions.
From the perspective of the industry’s broader business cycle, the shift from gasoline to electric has entered a second stage of evolution. Lin Hanzi, general manager of Aima Technology Group’s commercial product line and head of its Lingji and high-speed product lines, said China’s existing two-wheeler market is now facing an inevitable upgrade.
In the past, electric two-wheelers mainly replaced basic mobility tools in the 50–100 cubic capacity range. Now, the market is moving toward the replacement of larger gasoline motorcycles in the 125–150 range, and even higher, with electric models.
Lin said people born after 2000 have become a key consumer group under this trend, and their mindset differs sharply from that of previous generations. In his words: “The defining trait of this group is that they may inherit assets from their parents and grandparents, do not have to worry about material conditions, and do not have mortgages. Their consumption values have changed. They are more willing to pay for what they like.”
The overlap between this user group’s internal momentum and the gasoline-to-electric transition has raised expectations for the future of high-speed electric motorcycles. It has also led Lin to conclude that the category is still in a stage of rapid growth, and that it is too early to talk about the industry’s ceiling.
Recognizing this opportunity, Aima is trying to break the public’s fixed impression of the brand. Li Peng, vice president of Aima Technology Group’s domestic business division, said people used to see Aima as a premium mass market brand that met the needs of all age groups and price bands. It also led decisively in women-focused products and carried a clear fashion label.
But Li emphasized that two-wheelers and four-wheelers target overlapping consumer groups, and that there is a sizable opportunity in the male consumer segment. For Aima, the strategy is to move quickly toward what younger consumers find fashionable, with technology as part of the equation. That means maintaining its appeal among female consumers while building stronger attraction among male prospects, in part through technology.
Li said Aima moved aggressively, taking 12–14 months to build the Black Wing brand and align production, sales, and R&D as one integrated system, with the goal of finding a faster path into the market.
Facing competition from emerging players and traditional gasoline motorcycle giants crossing into electric motorcycles, a major manufacturer cannot break through on concept alone. It must support style with technology.
Ren Biao, head of Aima Technology Group’s men’s technology line, explained the planning behind this dedicated technology line in detail. He said that, beyond a visually appealing identity marker, young male users’ main demand is the sense of speed and excitement that technology can help create.
Ren said Aima Black Wing’s solution is to build technical barriers by optimizing performance, intelligent experience, and handling. Through systematic evaluation of the coordination among motors, batteries, and the full electrical system, Black Wing models can adjust peak power during overtaking to deliver a stronger throttle response. Their electric drive systems can also match the riding experience to different scenarios, such as mountain roads, overpasses, and underground parking garages.
Under this strategy, Aima Black Wing’s new products show a clear tiered matrix. The S360 editions focus on daily urban commuting and short-distance leisure riding. With a compact 1,250-millimeter body and what Aima describes as the smallest turning radius in its class, they are designed for quick maneuvering through city streets.
The new S790 is the result of the high-speed product line led by Lin, and is positioned as a “mecha-style” option for young people aged 18–30. Explaining the product’s original intention, Lin said it was based on in-depth user analysis around user segmentation and scenario segmentation. Like cars, some people need transportation, while others want to go out for fun and experience mechanical performance.
In actual riding, the S790 remains stable even at speeds of 80–90 kilometers per hour, and its suspension tuning delivers a motorcycle-like feel. Lin emphasized that this high-speed state, approaching 100 kilometers per hour, is designed to meet the needs of casual and exploratory riders who want to expand the boundaries of urban life. The high-speed product line will use this as a foundation for broader matrix coverage in the future.
What gives Aima additional market leverage is the pricing philosophy of a large manufacturer. Facing competition, Li said Aima has done a great deal of work on pricing:
“The R&D team needs to create hit products, and I need to strictly control costs, so we can meet young men’s demand for good products with strong value for money.”
Li made clear that even when technology or range is upgraded and price bands move higher, Aima will continue focusing on adding features without raising prices, using value for money to compete for market share.