EWJ June 2024 web - Journal - Page 42
Figure 1: Spatial distribution of expected e-scooter crash frequency across Greater London wards
Chris tells us that “there are limits on e-bikes and
e-scooters in relation to the power and the speeds that
they can travel. If you are on a government or council provided scheme they will comply. However privately purchased e-bikes and e-scooters can travel over
75 miles per hour, which would be frightening”.
mph), you do not need a licence to ride one and it does
not need to be registered, taxed or insured.
Any electric bike that does not meet the EAPC rules is
classed as a motorcycle or moped and needs to be registered and taxed. You’ll need a driving licence to ride
one and you must wear a crash helmet.
Classification of e-bikes
There are different types of e-bikes, depending on
their top speed and the level of assistance they
provide the rider:
These classifications help determine where e-bikes can
be ridden (e.g., on roads, bike paths) and whether a
helmet or other requirements are necessary. If a vehicle does not comply with either of these requirements,
then it should be classified as an electrically Propelled
Vehicle or Motor Vehicle.
• Pedal-assist: The motor only provides assistance
when the rider is pedalling, making the ride easier, especially uphill or over long distances. The assistance
typically cuts off at a certain speed (e.g., 25 km/h or
15.5 mph in many jurisdictions).
There are many aftermarket kits to convert a normal
bicycle to an e-bike, which means they can look very
similar. The only way to establish if the e-bike is an
EAPC is to inspect it.
• Throttle-assist: The bike can propel itself without
pedalling, similar to a motorbike or scooter, using a
throttle on the handlebars. Regulations for throttleassist e-bikes can be stricter, and in some places, they
may require a license, registration, or insurance.
Electrically Propelled Vehicles or Motor Vehicles
Our Collision Investigation expert Chris Goddard has
seen an increased number of cases involving ‘e-bikes’
which upon reflection, should be classified as a motor
vehicle: “In all the cases with vehicles that have been
presented as an e-bike or an e-scooter, they are not.
This is because they are running at three or four times
the legal power.”
To be placed in the same classification as a normal
bicycle, an e-bike must have a maximum power output
of 250 watts and should not be able to propel the bike
when it’s travelling more than 15.5mph. These electric
bikes are known as ‘electrically assisted pedal cycles’
(EAPCs). Some EAPC’s provide starting assistance without the need to pedal. As long as it cuts off at 6 km/h (3.7
EXPERT WITNESS JOURNAL
For instance, in a recent case Forensic Access was
instructed by a Specialist Law Firm for a case where an
e-bike had been involved in a serious injury collision
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JUNE 2024