In line 13, ebike weight 28kg.
For sure if your ebike is over 55kg (121 lbs.) it will be viewed as a motorcycle & then you'll be hit with a raft of equipment violations.
It's vaguely written probably because in Ontario ebikes are only legal for the duration of a 3 year pilot project.
It's just their way of going kicking & screaming into the 21st century.
Need more convincing?
http://www.infratrans.gov.ab.ca/INFTRA_Content/docType45/Production/mcpage14.htm#Power bicycle
http://www.infratrans.gov.ab.ca/INFTRA_Content/docType45/Production/mcpage12.htm
A power bicycle is defined as follows in the:
Use of Highway and Rules of the Road Regulation.
1(o): "power bicycle" means a vehicle that
(i) may be propelled
(A) by human muscular power,
(B) by mechanical power, or
(C) partly by human muscular power and partly by mechanical power,
(ii) is fitted with pedals that are continually operable to propel it,
(iii) has a motor that produces not more than 750 watts and is driven by electricity or has an engine with a displacement of not more than 50 cubic centimetres,
(iv) does not have a hand-operated or foot-operated clutch or gearbox driven by the motor that transfers power to the driven wheel,
(v) does not have sufficient power to enable it to attain a speed greater than 35 kilometres per hour on level ground within a distance of two kilometres from a standing start, and
(vi) weighs not more than 35 kilograms.
Note: Some vehicles may appear to be power bicycles. However, if they exceed the weight of 35 kg or the speed of 35 km/h, then they do not fall into the power bike classification and are, instead, considered mopeds.
A moped is defined as follows in the: Use of Highway and Rules of the Road Regulation.
1(i) "moped" means a vehicle, regardless of the number of wheels it has, that
(i) may be propelled:
(A) by human muscular power,
(B) by mechanical power, or
(C) partly by human muscular power and partly by mechanical power,
(ii) has a motor that is driven by electricity or has an engine with a displacement of not more than 50 cubic centimetres,
(iii) does not have a hand-operated or foot-operated clutch or gearbox driven by the motor that transfers power to the driven wheel,
(iv) does not have sufficient power to attain a speed greater than 50 kilometres per hour on level ground within a distance of two kilometres from a standing start, and
(v) weighs more than 35 kilograms but less than 55 kilograms, but does not include a bicycle or power bicycle.
Note: Some vehicles may appear to be mopeds. However, if they exceed the weight of 55 kg or the speed of 50 km/h, they do not fall into the moped classification and are, instead, considered motorcycles.
It certainly seems to be the case that most jurisdictions don't include weight class as part of the motor vehicle or highway traffic code definition, so I think the specification lies in a different Statute or Act. I have the impression that the weight limit is more of a regulation on ebike/moped manufacturers & importers, but I'm fairly certain it's in force the world over.
Have you not noticed that all turnkey ebikes sold come in under 35 kg? (I'm sure there's an exception out there to prove the rule). The Tidalforce for example comes in at 30kg stock (probably why Ont. picked 28kg
), & a hair under 35kg with the second battery pack. Hard to believe it's just a coincidence. So anyone thinking of building an ebike for sale to the public needs to do some research on this to be on the 'safe' side. I think you'll find it to be hidden in some regulation somewhere, I'm sure.
Of course it doesn't come as a surprise that Quebec's regs are distinct & separate! :lol: Quebec's laws, derived as they are from the french, fundamentally place the protection of society ahead of the individual. So if anything I would expect the limit to be lower.
Here's an <A HREF="http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partII/2001/20010411/html/sor117-e.html">article</A> that sheds light as to why Canada is saddled with a 500W limit when at the time they were considering harmonizing with US limits.
The SAAQ, MMIC, Groupe Procycle Inc., EPS Energy and Propulsion Systems, and CEVEQ agreed with the proposal to limit the maximum power output rating of the motor to 500 watts
Once again it was to satisfy the Quebec interests & a Quebec company, namely EPS (more commonly known as Bionix) that helped shape the law to also serve as trade barrier while hiding behind the guise of safety. Bionix only sells 350W systems knowing that American companies selling high powered 750W models aren't going to waste their time modifiying them for a market as small as Canada.
I found this tidbit intriguing even tho it's not something I'd ever have to worry about.
