UK Electric Bike Legislation Consultation

[paultrafalgar]

Calling all UK ebikers! The UK government is consulting the public on the amendment of ebike regulations at present. Thanks to AtoB magazine for pointing this out. See http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/2010-02/
The consultation runs till 30 March 2010 so you need to respond soon.

 

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The Key Issues
The following table identifies the issues and proposed actions:
Issue:
Power Limit - The GB EAPC Regulations currently permit a maximum continuous rated power of 200W for bicycles and 250W for tandems and tricycles. The European rules permit a maximum continuous rated power of 250W for bicycles, tandems and tricycles.
Action:
Deregulate - Amend GB EAPC Regulations such that the maximum continuous rated power is 250W for bicycles as well as tandems and tricycles

Yay! ...errr... I guess... 250W still sucks, only a little less so?



Issue:
Pedal Assistance - Cycles that permit power assistance without the rider pedalling fall within the scope of the European Whole Vehicle Type Approval Framework Directive for motorcycles and should comply with the various standards set out therein.
Action:
Provide Clarity - Amend GB EAPC Regulations to clarify that EAPCs manufactured from a certain future date may only supply power assistance only when the rider is pedalling (other than perhaps at very low speeds to assist start up e.g. 6 km/h).

Oh oh... suckage about to get worse there...



Issue:
Bicycle and Tandem Weight - Neither the European standard nor the European Whole Vehicle Type-Approval Framework Directive for motorcycles specifies a weight limit for EAPCs. The GB EAPC Regulations specifies a maximum weight for bicycles of 40kg and a maximum weight for tandems and tricycles of 60 kg.
Action:
Partially deregulate - Remove weight limit for bicycles and tandems but retain weight limit for tricycles.

Hard to believe given the 200W or 250W limit that there should be any concerns about vehicle weights... Perhaps they should ban large/heavy people from riding pedal bikes while they are at it...


Issue:
Tricycle Weight - The weight of a bicycle is to some extent self limiting – It is unlikely that consumers will want to purchase “heavy” bicycles.

HaHa... meanwhile in *my* neighbourhood the locals have mostly been buying the 500W Chineesy scooter-style HEAVY "ebikes"...

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[gerlewis]

done 8)

 

[dogman dan]

Definitely ask for the same speed and watt limits in the US. Nobody here dying on the ebike or killing anybody with it. Unless you have a car hit you. The yank watt limit may still be less than we run, but it's enough for a practical commuter that actually climbs a hill or gets you to work on time.

 

[scriewy]

they playing the BS game because they noticed ebikes started to spread, that scares them, because it's environmentally friendly, good, healthy, eliminates/lessens oil dependence on other countries, making you pay less oil taxes, less vehicle import taxes, legislation taxes, insurance taxes, road taxes, BS taxes, everything a government doesn't want you to elude from or enjoy off !

and it's really spreading, my encounter with ebikes on the streets definitely raised gradually in last 6 months, people are not dumbed to the ground yet, it's taking them slower to see the benefits but they're coming around, and the government noticed that, and lately (i red an article a week ago) here as well trying to pass these moronic insulting 250w 12km/h limit laws.

the iron bonds in hemoglobin molecule have an attraction with C (deadly gas) 250 times more than with O2, vehicle (combustion engine) is the worst invention of the human race, it's also the biggest example emphasizing on humans laziness (copied vector of a household armchair/couch just set on wheels).

 

[cell_man]

Definitely ask for the same speed and watt limits in the US. Nobody here dying on the ebike or killing anybody with it. Unless you have a car hit you. The yank watt limit may still be less than we run, but it's enough for a practical commuter that actually climbs a hill or gets you to work on time.

You could try but there's no chance of any common sense entering into the decision. It's perfectly legal for a 17 year old to buy a 250mph 1000bhp car if they can afford it but god forbid someone exceeds 250W or 15mph on a push bike :?