On
Wednesday the 30th of May, the Parliamentary Secretary of
Infrastructure and Transport, The Hon Catherine King MP, announced that the
federal government will be adopting an addition to the electric bicycle design
rules (please find announcement below).
The
definition of a power-assisted pedal cycle was “a pedal cycle to
which is attached one or more auxiliary propulsion motors having a combined
maximum power output not exceeding 200 watts.”
The current
ADR definition of AB category has now been expanded to allow compliance with
the full EN 15194 standard as an option.
The wording
in the ADR definition has been changed to “a pedal cycle to which is
attached one or more auxiliary propulsion motors having a combined maximum
power not exceeding 200 watts or a Pedalec”.
Pedalec has
been separately defined as “a vehicle meeting European Committee for
Standardization EN 15194:2009 Cycles - Electrically power assisted cycles
- EPAC Bicycles”.
Main
changes of the PEDALEC to the current definition are;
- Max 250watt
- Pedal assist – must be pedalling to gain power assistance
- Top speed 25kmh (assisted)
- 6kmh twist and go (to assist in getting off the line)
WHAT DOES
THIS MEAN?
· Electric
bicycles which meet the former design rules can still be imported, sold and
used on Australian roads without requiring the bike to be registered.
· Electric
bicycles which meet the European standard (EN 15194) can
now be imported into Australia (and will be able to be used without requiring
registration).
USE OF
THESE BIKES ON AUSTRALIAN ROADS.
· Each
Australian state or territory must now pass changes to their road laws to allow
PEDALEC’s to be legally used on public roads as a bicycle.
· Feedback
gained from states is that this process is expected to take between 6 and 12
months (some may be quicker but were unwilling to confirm that).
The BIA is
currently formally contacting all states and territories to try to gain more
definitive timetables.