This is particularly addressed to our trade members and the Bicycle Association who can now approach the DfT on this matter.
There is now no legal need for the DfT to set up a future path to type approve throttle equipped pedelecs.
That is only made necessary by the type approval law in the EU derived 168/2013 which was passed into British law.
Since our departure from the EU will mean 168/2013 will only be our British law, the DfT will only need to amend the exclusion (h). At present that reads:
pedal cycles with pedal assistance which are equipped with an auxiliary electric motor having a maximum continuous rated power of less than or equal to 250 W, where the output of the motor is cut off when the cyclist stops pedalling and is otherwise progressively reduced and finally cut off before the vehicle speed reaches 25 km/h;
All the DfT need do is amend by removing the words I've highlighted in bold. That will automatically legalise fully acting throttles on past, present and future otherwise compliant e-bikes. No amendment of the EAPC regulations will be needed since they do not require legal pedelec type approval when throttles are permitted. The only mentions of "Twist and Go" are in guidance documents where compliance with 168/2013 is indicated, and of course they will comply after the amendment.
Simples.
Meanwhile, since that 168/2013 amendment would be the intent in two years when we are out of the EU, the DfT could issue a waiver for throttles in the same way as it did for 250 watts permission in April 2013 when it intended that change a couple of years later in 2015.
.
There is now no legal need for the DfT to set up a future path to type approve throttle equipped pedelecs.
That is only made necessary by the type approval law in the EU derived 168/2013 which was passed into British law.
Since our departure from the EU will mean 168/2013 will only be our British law, the DfT will only need to amend the exclusion (h). At present that reads:
pedal cycles with pedal assistance which are equipped with an auxiliary electric motor having a maximum continuous rated power of less than or equal to 250 W, where the output of the motor is cut off when the cyclist stops pedalling and is otherwise progressively reduced and finally cut off before the vehicle speed reaches 25 km/h;
All the DfT need do is amend by removing the words I've highlighted in bold. That will automatically legalise fully acting throttles on past, present and future otherwise compliant e-bikes. No amendment of the EAPC regulations will be needed since they do not require legal pedelec type approval when throttles are permitted. The only mentions of "Twist and Go" are in guidance documents where compliance with 168/2013 is indicated, and of course they will comply after the amendment.
Simples.
Meanwhile, since that 168/2013 amendment would be the intent in two years when we are out of the EU, the DfT could issue a waiver for throttles in the same way as it did for 250 watts permission in April 2013 when it intended that change a couple of years later in 2015.
.
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