European Commission Says No to 500 Watt Max. Power for Pedal

[HAL9000v2.0]

BRUSSELS, Belgium - In its recently published proposal for a review of the type-approval of two- or three-wheel vehicles, the European Commission did not accept the appeal for increasing the power limit for pedal assisted bicycles. The European Twowheel Retailers’ Association (ETRA) pleaded for an increase from 250 to 500 Watt for electric bicycles that are excluded from the type-approval procedure.

The trade association argued that the power output increase would allow electric bikes to appeal to a much broader and more varied public throughout Europe. The European industry association COLIBI was opposed to the power increase which eventually fell on deaf ears in the Commission.

In the current draft, the Commission does attempt to improve categorization. For that purpose, they have created among other things a new category L1e “light two-wheel powered vehicle” with three subcategories. With the category L1Ae, the Commission did establish the first new category as proposed by ETRA but, strangely enough, decided to limit the maximum speed to 25 km instead of 45 km as requested. The second category requested by ETRA is covered by L1Be but gets 4 kW instead of the requested 1 kW.

The Commission also proposes new technical measures, a number of which would become applicable to the L1e category. For instance, the vehicles will have to be equipped with designated measures to prevent tampering of the vehicle’s power train. Also, manufacturers will have to introduce on-board diagnostic (OBD) in several phases: as of 2017 for category L1Be and as of 2021 also for L1Ae.

The last important new aspect is the fact that manufacturers become legally bound to provide access to vehicle repair and maintenance information to independent operators. They will have to do this by means of websites using a standardised format. Dealers and repairers who are not officially authorised should have the same access to those websites as their authorised colleagues. The Commission will develop a standard for these websites. In the meantime, it is up to the manufacturers to provide easy and simple access to the information. Strangely enough, further on in the text, the Commission seems to open the door again to discrimination by allowing manufacturers to charge a fee for the information.

The Commission’s proposal is now with the Committee Internal Market and Consumer Protection of the European Parliament. The Dutch motorcyclist Wim van de Camp (EPP) is the ‘rapporteur’. His report needs to be adopted by the Committee before it goes to Plenary for first reading. Upon that it goes to the Council and if it is further amended at that stage it has to go back to Parliament for second reading. Then, Parliament and Council have to reach a uniform decision. So, the publication of the Commission’ proposal is only a first step in a legislative process that will take quite some more time.

 

[MikeFairbanks]

Wow, strict rules.

 

[Racer_X]

Living in Sweden my only choice would have been a weak 250w constrained motor and 25kph top speed OR for those who don't know that is 15.5mph.
Thank to ES I built my own out of a 9c and a ping 48v 10ah. for my first try. The bike rocks for Swedish standards @40+kph and people here are dumbfounded. They ask me if it's legal. I say YES off course it legal! (They don't need to know that as long as the speed suppressor loop is connected.)
When these new rules take shape, It will be very handy to know how to build and maintain your own E-bike so one does not have to worry about...

the vehicles will have to be equipped with designated measures to prevent tampering of the vehicle’s power train.

And offcourse I will buy all my E-bike stuff from Outside the EU!
Thanks for sharing that HAL9000v2.0, I will keep a keen eye out to see how exactly they think they can enforce it.

 

[auraslip]

Well......
At least ya'll have standards to work in.
It's better than an outright ban on any thing over 750watts like here in the states.

I really don't believe that the teenager down the street should be able to buy or build a 40mph e-bike with out some sort of review process. It sucks, but high speed vehicles are dangerous.

Look at it this way. If you have to register it, at least you'll be able to insure it. If a bad driver totals your bike now, good luck getting the insurance company to pay for it!

 

[HAL9000v2.0]

Actualy 49km/h 3,99kw class is just fine and insurance and registration cost only about 35€/year and that is about 1/20 of car insurance. There are some things I am not sure are they good or bad.
1. E4/E6 helmet is must. (standard:---> http://www.smf.org/standards/m/2010/m2010_final.htm )
2. you can use bike trails but only up to 25km/h, you can use roads up to 49km/h, you can't use highways.
3. Off road is not defined, some parks are forbidden even for pedal bikes. But in last 25 years no cop stoped me offroad on any vehicle.

 

[dogman dan]

We don't realize how good we have it here. The US 750 watt law is not what we ride by though. That's set in state, or even local city laws.
so the rules vary widely in the US. Often the ebike is some kind of moped. Some places do approximate the 750 watt rule.

So some places are strict, others not. Here in NM, there is no watt limit. Just a speed limit of 25 mph. But there is also a requirement for a valid drivers licence. However cops don't care. DUI folks with no licence ride ebikes and other mopeds and don't get hassled unless actually drunk on the road.

I think a sensible limit would be 2000 watts, but with a speed limit of 25 mph. Does your car stop going faster when you reach the highway speed limit? Of course it doesn't. Is your car safer if it takes forever to accelerate? of course not. 3 hp on a motorized bike is not inherently unsafe. Perhaps 6 hp is, depends on the bike used. Since even moderately fit pedalers can ride 25 mph, why shouldn't an ebike? But I agree, cheap bikes with crappy frames and brakes should be speed limited some, but not to 15 mph.

I think the time has come though, for some rewriting of vehicle laws. There is a niche that is not covered now by any statutes, for a faster moped that is not quite a full motorcycle, for a slower car that might not be as crash worthy, but would be lighter. Weird trikes built to take advantage of the motorcycle law is not the answer to a light EV.

 

[MikeFairbanks]

So in Sweden you can buy a German (or Swedish) sports car that can go 200kph, but with a bike they limit your power.

With a bicycle, the chances of hurting anyone but yourself is fairly rare, but with a Porshe you can cause a lot of dammage.

That would be like the USA telling you that any size gun is okay, but a slingshot can only have 5-inch bands.

 

[Drunkskunk]

.......That would be like the USA telling you that any size gun is okay, but a slingshot can only have 5-inch bands.

.....well...
Here in Texas they won't allow you to own a slingshot with a wrist brace. But a gun is fine.

 

[Eclu Lardbut]

Yet another fine example of the meddling EU sticking its nose in where it doesn't belong and isn't wanted.
I can't think of many occasions where new laws have relaxed anything - there's always a tendency towards control-freakery and tightening things up.
I'm glad I live in the back of beyond where I'm not likely to encounter EU busybodies and where the cops are quite relaxed about such things.
Stuff the EU.

 

[Lock]

Update...
http://www.etra-eu.com/newsitem.asp?type=3&id=8186915

ETRA prepares proposal to suit review type-approval to electric cycles and light electric vehicles

MONDAY DECEMBER 20, 2010

On 4 October, the European Commission has proposed a draft Regulation for the review of the type-approval for two- and three-wheel motor vehicles.

The draft text also concerns electric cycles and light electric vehicles, but does not offer a good solution for these vehicles. In fact, the Commission's proposal creates even more confusion than the current legislation. Among the available downloads under this article are ETRA's comments on the Commission's impact proposal plus an Annex which explain the problems caused by the proposal.

The draft text is now in the European Parliament. In a recent meeting, Rapporteur Wim Van De Camp gave ETRA the opportunity to explain in detail why the Commission’s proposal is not well adapted to electric cycles and light electric vehicles. Mr Van de Camp subsequently invited ETRA to develop a comprehensive proposal aimed at improving the Commission's draft for electric cycles and light electric vehicles.

ETRA has now submitted a first version to its effective and associated members, which is also among the available downloads under this article. The members have until 6 January to send in comments and further input. In a telephone conference on 6 January, ETRA will give its members further clarification and reply to all their questions.

Interested companies who want to participate in the debate and/or who want to be kept fully informed on this issue are invited to join ETRA as associated member. Full details on associated membership can be found here: http://www.etra-eu.com/page.asp?id=125544

ETRA is expected to submit the proposal to Mr Van De Camp on 10 January. The draft text is based on two main principles:
1. exclusion of all cycles with pedal assistance up to 25 km/h in order to allow CEN to amend EN 15194, the current EPAC standard. This would exempt these vehicles from the type-approval procedure and they would be classified as bicycles. As a result, they could be used without helmets, drivers’ licence, insurance, …
2. As for the pedal assisted cycles up to 45 km/h, cycles that can be propelled by the motor itself and all other light electric vehicles (except the one excluded by article 2 of the proposal), they would still be subject to type-approval but the procedure would be adapted to these vehicles, so that unnecessary requirements would not apply.

Available downloads
http://www.etra-eu.com/docs/ETRA.pdf
ETRA.pdf (Adobe PDF-document, 43Kb)
Impact Assessment

http://www.etra-eu.com/docs/Annex.pdf
Annex.pdf (Adobe PDF-document, 1289Kb)
Impact Assessment - Annex

http://www.etra-eu.com/docs/Amendments.pdf
Amendments.pdf (Adobe PDF-document, 143Kb)
Comments and amendments

Text of the main Impact Assessment doc above:

According to the European Commission’s impact assessment, the best option for electric cycles is to refine vehicle categorisation by introducing new subcategories. The Commission concludes that this will result in 1:
- increased clarity for industry and other stakeholders (++)
- better coherence than the other available options (++)
- better result for noise, emission and fuel consumption (+)
- better level and appropriateness of current safety measures (+)
- no change in efforts to meet the technical standards (0)

ETRA totally disagrees with these conclusions for electric cycles and innovative light electric vehicles. We are convinced that the recategorisation as proposed by the Commission will result in:
- a higher degree of confusion for industry and other stakeholders. In the Annex to this document, we provide an overview of the different types of vehicles that become subject or exempt from the type approval. That overview shows a total lack of clarity.
- As for better coherence, we wish to quote two examples to prove the invalidity of this conclusion.
The Commission did not grant ETRA’s request (supported by more than 70 companies in the electric cycle sector) to exclude pedal assisted cycles up to 25 km/h and 500 W. As a result the 300 W and 25 km/h city bike shown in the Annex, for instance, will be subject to the type-approval. On the other hand, the pedal assisted mountain bike with for instance assistance up to 45 km/h and 500 W motor output will not be subject to type-approval.
Another example of incoherence is the following. A light electric vehicle with a motor output of 350 W and a maximum speed of 27 km/h is exempted from the type-approval because it has no seat.
Another vehicle with a 1kW motor and a 20 km/h speed limit is exempted because it is selfbalancing.
A third innovative vehicle with 2 wheels and a seat with a 1 kW motor and a speed limit of
25 km/h is made subject to the type-approval. The first two manufacturers will incur fewer costs because they do not have to submit their vehicle to type-approval. However, they are at the mercy of 27 member states as far as the conditions for using their vehicles are concerned. The manufacturer of the 3rd vehicle enjoys legal certainty as to the categorisation of his vehicle. However, he is confronted with the (relatively) high cost of type-approval. Also, his vehicle technically does not fit into the category of a moped and he has no legal certainty yet that he will obtain exemptions for new technologies or new concepts according to Article 38 of the proposal.
- The proposal will not produce better results for noise, emissions and fuel consumption in the case of electric cycles and innovative light electric vehicles, on the contrary. Apart from the fact that these vehicles do not produce noise, emissions nor consume fuel, the following needs to be taken into account. The proposed framework regulation will further obstruct the market development of electric cycles and innovative light electric vehicles. Yet, an increased use of these vehicles would result in a overall decrease of noise, emissions and fuel consumption by transport.
- In our view, On Board diagnostics or wheels that can rotate at different speeds for safe cornering on hard-surfaced road, to quote just two examples cannot be labelled as better and appropriate safety measures for the types of vehicles depicted in the Annex.
- There will most definitely be a change for the worse in efforts to meet the technical standards as well as the administrative obligations that result from these standards both at the level of the manufacturers as well as of the dealers.

ETRA believes that there is another option available next to the options considered by the Commission.

Electric cycles and innovative light electric vehicles as depicted in the Annex should not be considered as a variation on traditional, combustion engine mopeds. These vehicles are completely different and the companies active in this sector are also completely different from traditional moped and motorcycle manufacturers. Most of them are small to very small enterprises with no experience in type-approval procedures.
1 See page 139 of the Commission’s impact assessment

For many years now, it has appeared that a European standard guarantees the
required level of safety for electrically assisted cycles with a motor output of 250 W and
assistance up to 25 km/h. It is a relatively simple and cost-effective procedure.
Moreover, the standard has been developed by the industry concerned. We believe that
this standardisation procedure should be opened up to all electrically assisted cycles.
The relevant CEN Committee can then decide on the most appropriate speed and motor output
requirements as well as on the technical vehicle requirements to match these.

As for other light electric vehicles (not pedal assisted) that today cannot be categorised, a specific procedure is needed that provides the manufacturers with legal certainty. This procedure needs to be non-discriminating and also needs to result into harmonised conditions for the use of the vehicles.

Without appropriated technical harmonisation, we believe that the market of electric cycles and innovative electric vehicles risks to be limited to electrically assisted cycles with a motor output of 250 W and assistance up to 25 km/h. This conclusion is already proven correct by the fact that since the application of Directive 2002/24/EC, the European market consists for an estimated 95% of electrically assisted cycles with a motor output of 250 W and assistance up to 25 km/h. The current type-approval procedure that applies to all other electric cycles and innovative electric vehicles hampers their commercial development.

Electrically assisted cycles with a motor output of 250 W and assistance up to 25 km/h alone however are not sufficient to realise the full market potential of electric cycles and light electric vehicles. This obstruction goes against the interest of ETRA’s members as well as against the interest of the light electric vehicle sector in general. Finally, it also goes against the interest of European citizens, because it obstructs their options for sustainable mobility.

 

[MadRhino]

The question is: Do they enforce those dumb laws on the street?

Here, I've never been bothered, although my bike is very far from legal standards. Keeping design stealth, I believe that we can be free for a while, until there are alot of E-bikes and they start noticing us.

As for the manufacturers, and sellers of ready-made E-bikes, I think that it is good to set some limits. The legislators though, should be more concerned about quality/safety of components and construction, than plain power and speed issues.

 

[dogman dan]

Sheesh. 500 watts for manufacturers is limiting enough. They need to realize the whole point of an ebike is to have a bit better performance than human powered by a 40 year old out of shape guy. 500 watts is not beyond the limits of the bike frame, or brakes on even the cheapest crap bikes.

 

[spinningmagnets]

Anytime someone is constrained in the amount of power an E-bike can have, I'd recommend a Bottom Bracket (BB)-drive similar to the Cyclone in order to give the weak motor some gears to help on hills. Perhaps using better components too, but even then I hear the chain noise can be somewhat annoying.

Clearly, the proposal that the drivetrain be sealed against tampering means that somebody in government found out that raising the voltage is often fairly easy to do. If you add two bags of groceries and a child to a cargo-bike, then tackle a hill with a 'true' 250W motor...the motor will crawl to the top inch by inch...or die trying. I'll bet one Euro on it dying.

With the economic crisis in Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece, and Spain threatening to cripple trade in the European Union and the Euro's stability ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PIGS_(economics) ) Encouraging E-bikes is a help to individuals that doesn't seem to cost any government anything.

There should be no power limit, but 500W is a reasonable compromise, and realistic. The only true constraint has been (and should remain) that people shouldnt ride too fast or drive crazy.

 

[HAL9000v2.0]

...s that doesn't seem to cost any government anything...

I think that government see it like "...we can't get a dime tax from those damn e-bikes..."

 

[dogman dan]

Even my wife agrees with me that the euro watt and speed limits are silly. And she never rides faster than 15 mph, motor or no motor. Anything my slowpoke wife considers too slow and too underpowered is crazy limited. I find 20 mph plenty safe, those lawmakers over there need a reality check.

 

[mabman]

"As for the manufacturers, and sellers of ready-made E-bikes, I think that it is good to set some limits. The legislators though, should be more concerned about quality/safety of components and construction, than plain power and speed issues."

They have that pretty well covered here (there are 5 parts to this, follow the links):

http://www.bike-eu.com/facts-figures/eu-regulations/4232/eu-regulations-for-e-bikes-part-1-type-approval-legislation-and-cen-standards.html

I think that Hal is it right in regards to the fact that taxation figures heavily in to the mix. Why they are so against upping the power restriction does not make much sense but time will tell as it looks like that is not being taken lying down by the manufacturers.

 

[dogman dan]

Hopefully they will get lobbied into allowing a reasonable power limit. Even if they stick with less than the us 750 watts, 200 watts is completely useless in hilly places, limiting the publilcs acceptance of a great car substitute. 500 watts in a planetary gear hubmotor, or chain drive is much more usefull and not likely to be particularly dangerous. There is a LOT of the EU that is not as flat as Amsterdam.

 

[Evoforce]

As usual, It's all about who is trying to reach into your pocket for now and well into your future.

 

[neptronix]

f'in EU.

250w is indeed useless.. a true waste of money for any real hill climbing, and useless if you are not a hardcore pedalist as i am.

OBD will make the eBike even more expensive.
So basically, forget about eBikes in the EU unless you are a law-breaker.

 

[Eclu Lardbut]

These 'rules' are drawn up by twats in offices whose only exercise is polishing the chairs with their arses. I'd not be at all surprised if there's back-office brown envelopes changing hands stuffed full of €, from the car companies.