As requested i will explain a few things about the changes to the laws regarding your electric bikes that will be implemented in 2016. There is a lot being said about the laws so il try my best to simplify them as best as i can.
Firstly what you should know is UK Laws and EU Laws on electric bikes have always been slightly different meaning it can cause slight confusion so for starters here are the UK Laws and EU Laws as they stand now:
UK Laws 2015
Can be fitted with a full speed throttle
Can only be ridden by someone age 14 or over
Can not be fitted with a motor that exceeds 200W in Power
Must not exceed a weight of 40Kg (60Kg in the case or a tricycle or tandem)
Have a maximum assisted speed of up to 15mp/h (24km/h)
EU Laws 2015
Can not be fitted with a motor with a power that exceeds 250W in power
Have a maximum assisted speed of up to 15.5mph (25km/h)
Can not be fitted with a full speed throttle that can work independently (no pedal movement). Start up assist throttles (those that assist up to 6 km/h or 3.7mph) are allowed.
Can be ridden without any minimum age limit).
If you look at these set of laws to be honest there doesn't seem to be much difference right?
The problem is even a minor change can make for quite drastic change.
To sum everything up neat and tidy for you guys. Our laws are being changed to the EU Laws so....
UK Laws 2016
Can not be fitted with a motor with a power that exceeds 250W in power
Have a maximum assisted speed of up to 15.5mph (25km/h)
Can not be fitted with a full speed throttle that can work independently (no pedal movement). Start up assist throttles (those that assist up to 6 km/h or 3.7mph) are allowed.
Can only be ridden by people aged 14 and over
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?
To be fair it can be quite scary when people say "Laws are changing" but to get straight to the point, if you already own an electric bike with a throttle that goes 15 mph (Twist and Go) and bought it before January 1st 2016 these law changes do not apply so you have nothing to worry about.
However people that buy a bike after January 1st 2016 you need to be aware that if you buy an electric bike its a little bit complex. any bike that has a throttle assist that goes above 15.5mph you will have to go ahead and have your bike "type approved" which in easy terms means it has to be governed as a moped which will need insurance, registration, tax and a helmet to make it road legal.
Since that is for electric bikes that go above 15.5 mph you really don't need to worry about that, Any bike that goes 15.5 mph or less is still treated as an Electric Bike and will not need to be type approved as of yet. All you need to know is these simple points:
If you have a bike that was bought before January 1st 2016 you don't even need to think about these changes until you go to buy a new electric bike
If you buy an electric bike after January 1st 2016, it will no longer have the "twist and go" throttle that can get you up to the maximum speed of 15mph, it will instead either have no throttle or whats called a starting assist throttle that is limited to 3.7mph
Just have to state that these laws are being changed to that everything is universal and that everything conforms to EU Directive EN15194 so all bikes have the same rules and laws applied to them.
Ref: Powerbikes.
Firstly what you should know is UK Laws and EU Laws on electric bikes have always been slightly different meaning it can cause slight confusion so for starters here are the UK Laws and EU Laws as they stand now:
UK Laws 2015
Can be fitted with a full speed throttle
Can only be ridden by someone age 14 or over
Can not be fitted with a motor that exceeds 200W in Power
Must not exceed a weight of 40Kg (60Kg in the case or a tricycle or tandem)
Have a maximum assisted speed of up to 15mp/h (24km/h)
EU Laws 2015
Can not be fitted with a motor with a power that exceeds 250W in power
Have a maximum assisted speed of up to 15.5mph (25km/h)
Can not be fitted with a full speed throttle that can work independently (no pedal movement). Start up assist throttles (those that assist up to 6 km/h or 3.7mph) are allowed.
Can be ridden without any minimum age limit).
If you look at these set of laws to be honest there doesn't seem to be much difference right?
The problem is even a minor change can make for quite drastic change.
To sum everything up neat and tidy for you guys. Our laws are being changed to the EU Laws so....
UK Laws 2016
Can not be fitted with a motor with a power that exceeds 250W in power
Have a maximum assisted speed of up to 15.5mph (25km/h)
Can not be fitted with a full speed throttle that can work independently (no pedal movement). Start up assist throttles (those that assist up to 6 km/h or 3.7mph) are allowed.
Can only be ridden by people aged 14 and over
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?
To be fair it can be quite scary when people say "Laws are changing" but to get straight to the point, if you already own an electric bike with a throttle that goes 15 mph (Twist and Go) and bought it before January 1st 2016 these law changes do not apply so you have nothing to worry about.
However people that buy a bike after January 1st 2016 you need to be aware that if you buy an electric bike its a little bit complex. any bike that has a throttle assist that goes above 15.5mph you will have to go ahead and have your bike "type approved" which in easy terms means it has to be governed as a moped which will need insurance, registration, tax and a helmet to make it road legal.
Since that is for electric bikes that go above 15.5 mph you really don't need to worry about that, Any bike that goes 15.5 mph or less is still treated as an Electric Bike and will not need to be type approved as of yet. All you need to know is these simple points:
If you have a bike that was bought before January 1st 2016 you don't even need to think about these changes until you go to buy a new electric bike
If you buy an electric bike after January 1st 2016, it will no longer have the "twist and go" throttle that can get you up to the maximum speed of 15mph, it will instead either have no throttle or whats called a starting assist throttle that is limited to 3.7mph
Just have to state that these laws are being changed to that everything is universal and that everything conforms to EU Directive EN15194 so all bikes have the same rules and laws applied to them.
Ref: Powerbikes.
Changes to Electric Bike Laws in 2016
posted 20/9/15
posted 20/9/15