30mph bicycle motorways for e-bike commuters

Intercity bicycle motorways dedicated to 30 mph e-bikes could soon get the green light in Holland.

e-bike motorway freeway

30 mph bicycle motorways for e-bike commuters

E-bikes with the speed of a 50cc moped are popular in Holland and the e-bike freeway would allow commuters to zip between Groningen, Haren, Assen and Tynaarlo.

Henk Brink, a deputy from Drenthe, told newspaper  Die Krant van Midden-Drenthe, “New rapid cycle infrastructure could be a nice addition to all measures that we have already taken in the field of cycling and accessibility in the Groningen-Assen region.”

Germany and Switzerland have established a separate class for higher power electric bicycles. These bikes can travel at speeds of 30mph and face less stringent requirements than mopeds.

This type of ‘super electric bicycle’ offers a cleaner, quieter and practical alternative to a traditional moped, but a proposal to extend this class of vehicle across the European Union was recently rejected by the EU government.

Bicycles currently represent the most efficient and practical application for electric motor technology; battery-powered cars and motorcycles are heavy and troublesome to charge without widespread charging points, but e-bikes are light enough to be carried into a house to be re-charged. The electrically-assisted bicycle (or the pedal-assisted electric moped) is the ultimate hybrid; if the battery runs flat, the rider can switch to leg power in an instant.

Electric bicycle/moped/motorcycle hybrids

Mopeds are rarely thought of as anything other than a stepping stone towards car ownership for teenagers or a speedy way of delivering pizza, but an appetite for good-looking electric vehicles that look good and won’t break the bank is breathing life into the low-powered, two-wheeler market.

Juicer e-motor bicycles are hand-built in a classic style blending modern technology with traditional materials. The Juicer 36 is a custom-built electric bike and a moped in the classic sense – a low-powered motor and pedals to help get the machine moving at low speeds.

Juicer 36 e-bike

The bike has been built very deliberately with styling as a priority – its appearance borrows heavily from American motorcycles of the 1920s.

The bike can manage 22 miles at 20mph.

Juicer 36 electric moped

In Britain, any power-assisted bicycle capable of more than 15 mph must undergo the onerous process of being registered as a motorcycle. By contrast, a good-quality road bicycle – without an electric motor – can achieve 25mph, but is not subject to the same regulation.

A spokesperson for the ETA, which insures conventional and electric bicycles with motors up to 250W, said: “The promotion of electric vehicles is back to front; the government appears blind to the wider benefits of electric bicycles and mopeds that do not need the investment in technology and infrastructure required by electric cars.”

If your electric bicycle weighs less than 60 kg and  has an output not exceeding 250W, you can get fully comprehensive insurance from the ETA.

The ethical choice

The ETA was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. Over 30 years on, we continue to offer cycle insurance , breakdown cover and mobility scooter insurance while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.

The Good Shopping Guide judges us to be the UK’s most ethical provider.

 

Comments

  1. Richard Tanner

    Reply

    “The promotion of electric vehicles is back to front; the government appears blind to the wider benefits of electric bicycles and mopeds that do not need the investment in technology and infrastructure required by electric cars.”

    Come on guys, this is the government you are referring to. What do you expect?

  2. glenn

    Reply

    …also sadly missing from ALL ads for this (brilliant) new type of transport,is the fact that uk eapc law states clearly that max power set-up for an electrically assisted pedal cycle is 36v battery 200 watt motor.making everything of this type illegal to use on uk roads.

  3. Simon Bailey, Ultra Light Vehicle Research Group, Loughborough University

    Reply

    On 6th April 2015 the old 1983 EAPC regulations were amended by SI 24 / 2015 (see http://www.legislation.gov.uk). This removes the mass limits (previously 40kg for bicycles and 60kg for tricycles) as well as allowing 250W for bicycles (previously only allowed for tricycles). Maximum speed is 25km/h (15.5mph). Above 250W continuous, or if capable of more than 25km/h, or if no pedalling needed for electric drive, then L1e-B type approval is required = motor vehicle. Switzerland is not part of the EU, so they have their own regulations. Use of “S-pedelecs” (speed pedelecs) in Germany is complicated (certain national legislation regarding use, but still L1e-B type-approval applies due to EU membership).

    Other L-category vehicles also offer great benefits (lightweight and efficient, space-saving) over electric cars, but the government is slow to recognise this. Currently Germany, France and Belgium lead the UK in this field.

    Links: http://www.friends-of-sam.com http://www.weathervelo.com http://www.eliomotors.com http://www.twike.co.uk

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