The biking community across Europe is up in arms over Germany's proposed changes to national e-bike regulations.
LEVA-EU, a trade association for European electric vehicle companies, issued an open letter co-signed by nearly 200 individuals from prominent bike brands like DJI and VanMoof, as BikeRadar reported.
They urged the German Bicycle Industry Association (ZIV) to withdraw its new amendments, arguing the restrictions on e-bikes are "arbitrary." The key concern the signatories had was related to guardrails on more powerful bikes that could help elderly people, families, and logistics operations.
That's because the proposed regulations, introduced in an April position paper, focus on e-bike motor size, speed, weight, and support ratio. The signatories noted that if these regulations pass, manufacturers would have to restrict the design of e-bikes to match standards of non-motor-assisted bikes.
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The letter argued that would "obstruct European innovation and competitiveness, protecting incumbents while sidelining new entrants and technologies." They also asserted that the regulations could threaten Europe's climate goals and make the continent "the desert of light electric mobility innovations."
LEVA-EU instead called for a dedicated light electric vehicle regulation. They argued that this sort of body could better evaluate their true safety and specs rather than deciding a specific motor power is too powerful, regardless of the bike's top speed and weight.
Expanding e-bike accessibility and utility is a noble goal. Users of e-bikes can save a ton of money by commuting or running errands in them, instead of relying on a car. It also comes with health benefits like light exercise, while cutting down on pollution contributions to your local neighborhood.
Upway is a great place to start if you're looking to add an e-bike. Consumers can find a wide selection of bikes to fit your needs, at up to 60% off retail prices. Upway will also buy your used e-bike, if you're looking to sell yours and upgrade.
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For those interested in saving even more with their e-bike, installing solar panels can dramatically reduce charging costs, potentially bringing them down to near zero.
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