Ebike Laws and Regulation

[dozentrio]

I just realized that the law regarding ebikes in most places seems to be centered on how much power they are allowed to produce (and a maximum possible top-speed). This is an interesting difference from laws regarding regular motor vehicles. No one tells auto-manufacturers that their car must be limited to 200 hp. No one says your motorcycle must not be capable of going faster than 150 kph unassisted.

Now, obviously there are reasons for regulations being structured the way they are, but I predict that when electric bikes become more popular, things will have to change. It seems to me too difficult to enforce these laws. If I get pulled over on my ebike for whatever reason, I will simply point to the sticker on my motor which says 450W. But unless the officer has a multimeter handy, he's not going to know that it's more like 1500W. The fact is, it's too easy and too tempting to modify your bike and start drawing more power than is legal. So people are going to do it, and they're going to get away with it. I am curious what will happen then. Will a license be required? Will non-commercial or modified set-ups be banned?

Thoughts?

 

[Miles]

There are plenty of examples of regulation for motorbikes/mopeds which have a nominal power limit specified.

 

[Lock]

Not in our neck of the woods (Canada)... Most motorbikes are designed for speeds well in excess of urban speed limits... The only reason power limits are imposed on tiny power-assist pedal bikes are through fear and ignorance AFAIK. None of the legislation is based on experience or any scientific study. Just politicians and civil servants pandering to an ignorant electorate... I am OK w/setting max.speed limits as long as this same logic is applied to ALL vehicles, but setting power limits for only some vehicles is just silly.
tks
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[dogman dan]

Yes, nearly everywhere mopeds are defined by a few key things, working pedals and a top speed, sometimes a weight is specified.

What they require for a moped varies widely. Some places require a licence plate, and a vin number so they know it was made with lights, horn, brakes etc, but then no drivers licence is needed. In my state, it's pedals, 50ccs or less, and 25 mph period. But then you need any kind of valid drivers licence to drive it. All ebikes are mopeds here. Only the cc's limit doesn't apply here for electric. But above 750 watts you tend to violate the speed. As I read my local law, you could build a very powerful ebike, and just limit speed with a CA and be legal.

Another example of speed limited vehicles is the neighborhood vehicle. Also limited to 25 mph, these are usually gas or electric golf carts with lights and turn signals added. They cannot be driven on a street with a speed limit above 35 mph in NM.

 

[gogo]

I think the idea with ebike laws was to allow substitution of electrical power for human power. By the time you bog down on a hill most legal ebikes are only putting out 100-200 W from the motor. That might be the point of parity from which the 750W limit was derived.

 

[deardancer3]

Dont know if the original post was referring to Canada only, the US or in general.

However, from a US viewpoint, much has changed since we got the first laws in the 1990's generated by a little bit of lobbying from Iacocca's EVGlobal baby and others.

We have seen several booms and busts, Energy problems, Credit problems, housing problems, government problems, environmental and media problems, etc also causing a big bump in Ebikes, and a current slackening in demand compared to the boom of 2008.

Which issue will be the driving force in the US? I think it will be a big tug of war from many factions, State governments needing money being a big factor. Dont count out any factor though.

Currently there is a poloriziation between the folks "like us that get it" and the folks that "dont get it".

WE here understand that transportation fueled by cars and petroleum for everything is wasteful/fuelish/unhealthy.

Others think that preserving the old car/fuel ways is of great value. some have not made up there mind.

I would just as soon fly under the radar for a while, for once we are a significant part of the transportation mix, here comes the controls, regulations/ fees, etc.

No, the cops are not checking our ebikes for compliance, YET. To keep it that way, keep your pedals moving and obey the other laws, avoid accidents. If you are in an accident, the other guy (with a BIG insurance company) will test your ebike for being legal and will do everything they can to avoid paying anything. you know how to keep your ebike from being tested as illegal. just keep it legal.

my 2 watts worth

d

 

[dozentrio]

I definitely agree that we should try to keep regulation as light as possible by avoiding issues. Personally I do my best to appear courteous on the road and ride responsibly.

Dont know if the original post was referring to Canada only, the US or in general.

I wasn't referring to any place in general. I am embarrassed to admit that I was unaware of power or top speed limits on ICE mopeds or similar vehicles.

If the top speed were 55 kph, that would make an ebike far more appealing as a commuter vehicle. But of course, it is not particularly safe at that speed.

It seems an unfortunate fact that heavier vehicles will be safer. A tank can run into nearly anything at 50kph and not notice. Efficient vehicles like the Aptera though will always turn people off because they won't be as safe in a collision.

 

[evblazer]

For an ebike to be operated at a moped or higher speed they really need to have suspensions, lights, good brakes! and other safety equipment at least if you are going to be able to buy them off the shelf. That'll require legislation before they go and do it though if they do that they'll want registration probably a liscense maybe even insurance. Some power being kicked around on ebikes on this board are very dangerous but being in a bicycle and so rare I think most people just don't recognize it as an issue. It may only take a few WOT accidents that hurt some poor kid or hit some person in a position of influence on a slow news day with a powerful bike but until then we are under the radar.

I've ridden my bike (while non motorized) at some really completely ridiculous speeds to be and I couldn't imagine doing it at all especially in traffic without suspension, lights and some serious brakes. Actually I can't imagine doing it on an upright at all it just feels odd at high speeds when I try my road bike :lol:

Legislation won't mean much since except for ticket blitzes there will be no notice. I constantly see under car lighting, illegal color front lighting and modified exhaust systems and in some areas like mine I believe they are very much against the law but off they go.

 

[dozentrio]

It would be nice if, given that your bike (and you) pass a few simple driving tests, you could have it licensed and it legally be allowed to travel at in-city traffic speeds.

So, for example:

1) Bike must weigh under 100 lbs
2) Bike must be capable of stopping safely from 50kph (or its top speed, if less than 50) in X meters. <-- I don't even know what's reasonable. 10m? 8m? heh
3) Maneuverability test?
4) Must be in good repair.
5) Rider must have a valid driver's license.

Given you and bike meet these conditions, you get a license plate and you're good to go.

 

[amberwolf]

Here in Phoenix the law actually requires you to register *any* bicycle with the police department (a one-time fee), yet they do not even have a way to do this, and have no idea what you're talking about if you ask about it.

In Arizona (state law) electric-assisted bicycles are still considered just regular bicycles as long as they're "operated at less than 20MPH" (meaning there is no actual limit to how fast they *can* go, just how fast you *do* go), and at one time had no actual power limit, as only a 49cc or less displacement was listed in the law (categorizing ICE only), and must have operable pedals. (along with all the other requirements for bicycles, and if operated on roadways must comply with other traffic rules/etc).

There are some cities/municipalities/counties that have different or more restrictive legislation, but I'm unsure what effect they have due to a change in state law a bit back, which naturally I can't find right now.

 

[PJIII]

Here in Florida I had the misfortune to be misinformed by a gas Moped dealer that they were street-legal & no registration, no title, no insurance, no license required & I got caught with it by the police. Well, needless to say I had to sell it!---lost money TOO! The truth is a moped is a motor vehicle under our laws and it is treated almost the same as a car but no title and under 49cc.

However, an E-bike is just a bicycle under the law provided you do not exceed 20 MPH or 32.19 KM. You can even ride the sidewalks but must have a horn & yield to pedestrians. When on the road you must stay to the extreme right whenever possible. Local municipalities have the right to further regulate them but I have not yet heard of it.

I believe setting a speed limit is better than regulating HP. And for me, 20 MPH is fast enough. Hmmm... that made me check & yes, bicycles have the same speed limit. In fact they ticketed some bike riders coming down the bridges at like 35 to 40MPH. I remember my moped & going 20 to 25 MPH---it was plenty fast & it was built off of a Schwinn Beach Cruiser knock-off. I ended up putting a 66cc engine on it so it had pep. I wish I still had it but am looking forward to my adult trike & I'll probably use a top speed of 15 MPH or less due to instability at high speeds and turns. It's going to be a trip learning how to ride it.

 

[evblazer]

What a normal bicycle has a 20mph fully under human power on a public road? I don't see how some of the folks on teh bacchetta team train down there on the roads unless they live in a lenient part of the state.

 

[amberwolf]

What a normal bicycle has a 20mph fully under human power on a public road? I don't see how some of the folks on teh bacchetta team train down there on the roads unless they live in a lenient part of the state.

At least in Arizona, a pedal-only bicycle is only limited in speed by the posted limits for the road it's on (and what the rider can do).

But an assisted bicycle is limited to 20MPH even if the road is posted as faster, and of course slower than that if the road is posted slower. It is assumed that this limit is only while the assist is in operation, but the original AZ law does not actually state explicitly one way or the other, only "when operated".

I think a newer version of the law clarifies that but can't remember or find it.

 

[evblazer]

I like the tx law I saw
"24) "Electric bicycle" means a bicycle that:

(A) is designed to be propelled by an electric motor, exclusively or in combination with the application of human power;
(B) cannot attain a speed of more than 20 miles per hour without the application of human power; and

(C) does not exceed a weight of 100 pounds.
"
well for me anyway. Might make some ebikes on here illegal especially those sans pedals but I don't think my current bike could even start with me on it if I wasn't pedaling. It will give me assist up to just over 30mph though.

 

[jag]

It would be nice if, given that your bike (and you) pass a few simple driving tests, you could have it licensed and it legally be allowed to travel at in-city traffic speeds.

So, for example:

1) Bike must weigh under 100 lbs
2) Bike must be capable of stopping safely from 50kph (or its top speed, if less than 50) in X meters. <-- I don't even know what's reasonable. 10m? 8m? heh
3) Maneuverability test?
4) Must be in good repair.
5) Rider must have a valid driver's license.

Given you and bike meet these conditions, you get a license plate and you're good to go.

Looking at the new Alberta regulations, an ebike can be registered as a moped if it has pedals and does not go faster than 70km/h. There is no power limit. It needs to be registered and insured and you need a car or moped license.

Above that it would have to be registered as a motorcycle.

 

[Rifle]

Ebikes are considered mopeds here. Only limits are you can't go over 35mph and gotta have a drivers license. On the flip side, on roads with a speed limit of 45mph or less, mopeds are entitled to the whole lane . Haven't tried to exercise that right yet :lol: . Don't think that'd go over well with the cagers.

 

[USAEBIKECO]

From my experience riding for 2 years now; electric bike laws are un-enforceable.

If you ride your ebike with common sense and blend in with regular bikes you have nothing to worry about. Wear a helmet, and pedal a little. The police wont bother you if you do what is legal and use common sense. Dont ride like a moron!

 

[Lock]

From my experience riding for 2 years now; electric bike laws are un-enforceable.

Maybe... in my `hood we are getting a flood of the scooter-style ebikes, often with pedals removed... There's a hard-core element in the pedal-bike community that doesn't like what they are seeing in "their" bike lanes. They describe these vehicles as heavy and so dangerous... although they are no heavier than many pedal bikes laden with groceries or dragging a trailer... They agitate to have these vehicles banned from bike lanes... banned from parking on our sidewalks... If the City were to enact such legislation, depending on wording such bans would be easy to enforce. Of course, the civil servants are having difficulty defining what an "ebike" is, beyond the Federal and Provincial definitions to which the scooter-style bikes comply to the letter, if not the spirit perhaps. Lotta educating needed. Mostly it's the rabid pedal bike proponents that need better perspective.
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[USAEBIKECO]

chicago police have murders and robbers to deal with. A guy on a ebike following the laws i dont think they care about.

Lance armstrong can ride faster than a ebike should we ban him too?

 

[gogo]

chicago police have murders and robbers to deal with. A guy on a ebike following the laws i dont think they care about.

Lance armstrong can ride faster than a ebike should we ban him too?

Give him a drug test at least.

 

[evblazer]

chicago police have murders and robbers to deal with. A guy on a ebike following the laws i dont think they care about.

Lance armstrong can ride faster than a ebike should we ban him too?

Give him a drug test at least.

Get him out of the bike lane and off the multi use path if he wants to go lance armstrong speed so yeah ban him to the open road where you'll find most cyclists trying to actually get somewhere in many places that don't have bike lanes or multi use paths.

 

[dozentrio]

From the Ministry of Transportation Ontario page:

• No modifications to the motor of an e-bike to permit it to exceed the federal requirements for motor output or speed for an e-bike (500W and a speed greater than 32 km/h) are allowed.

Notice they say you can't modify the motor... Nothing is said about the controller. Hee heee! I think that means my bike is actually still legal. Well, maybe not :S I did an air-cooling mod.

They really need to consult with some ebike experts (read us) when they're making these laws.

 

[dogman dan]

Several of my bikes have been illegal in New Mexico. Here, I'm a moped, and perhaps not allowed on a bike path. It's not clear if I am or not allowed. Riding with common sense and a bit of courtesy has kept me from having any problems for 2 years now. Occasionally a cop may give me a look as he drives along the adjacent road, but I do try to keep it under 25 mph when they look at me. (25 mph max for mopeds here) Looking like a regular bike is the key thing here. The chinese scooter look tends to piss off everybody except the rider for some reason.

 

[jag]

... in my `hood we are getting a flood of the scooter-style ebikes, often with pedals removed... There's a hard-core element in the pedal-bike community that doesn't like what they are seeing in "their" bike lanes. They describe these vehicles as heavy and so dangerous... although they are no heavier than many pedal bikes laden with groceries or dragging a trailer... They agitate to have these vehicles banned from bike lanes... banned from parking on our sidewalks... If the City were to enact such legislation, depending on wording such bans would be easy to enforce. Of course, the civil servants are having difficulty defining what an "ebike" is, beyond the Federal and Provincial definitions to which the scooter-style bikes comply to the letter, if not the spirit perhaps. Lotta educating needed. Mostly it's the rabid pedal bike proponents that need better perspective.
Lock

Personally I thought the old Alberta law that an unregistered eBike should be no more than 32kg made some sense. If it is no heavier than a bike, and not much faster it is not more dangerous. I've had a head on collision with another cyclist. Hurt a bit, but people are soft and flexible hence don't impart as much injury as something hard, and both our bikes were lightweight road bikes. Colliding with a lead-acid loaded scooter would have been another thing.

I'd say:
Bicycle weight ebikes can be allowed on bike lanes.
Anything heavier and faster should be on the road.
I think this would work well with public perception also.

 

[dogman dan]

That would make my bike illegal on the weight. Oh, that's right, at 48v it allready is by 3 mph. Just have to rely on not being a jackass some more.

Really, that's the key. Watch any reality cop show. Passing the attitude test is everything with cops.