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The higher the demand, the greater the supply.

Manufacturers, and more and more different ones, are bringing e-bikes onto the market - more range, better batteries, more power. It is clear that e-bikes are increasingly moving away from the basic idea of a faster bike. They are still classed as such, but it is questionable whether they will soon be categorised as S-pedelecs. S-pedelecs with up to 45 km/h assistance belong to the L1 class and require type approval. So if this competition continues to develop, it is questionable whether EU regulation will be required and which e-bikes will actually be allowed to retain the status of e-bikes. According to the Managing Director of Bosch eBike Systems, motor power and the relationship to pedalling power play a central role. According to him, the problem is that there is no longer or never was a uniform standard. If this remains the case, the exemption from type approval will be withdrawn from manufacturers and all e-bikes will have to be categorised as speed pedelecs in future. This would entail compulsory authorisation and thus a range of obligations, such as insurance.

For this reason, the German Bicycle Industry Association is calling for standardised limits, namely a maximum factor of 1:4 for assistance and a maximum motor output of 750 watts. To date, e-bikes with a maximum of 25 km/h pedal assistance and up to 250 watts of power are not subject to authorisation. However, as soon as the factor exceeds these values, the limit for a moped can quickly be reached or exceeded.

Irrespective of this high-risk competition between e-bike manufacturers, which jeopardises the status of the e-bike, an EU regulation will come into force in 2027. The plan is to allow individual battery cells to be replaced, although this could shorten the service life of the battery itself. A battery passport is also planned, but even this is not viewed entirely favourably. Integrated batteries will remain permitted under certain conditions. There is still disagreement about the charging plugs. A standardised EU regulation could be expected here, as with mobile phone plugs.

 

Source: Pixabay/RoraHero