China & Taiwan Ban E-bikes

[james@justebikes.co.uk]

This week China banned electric bikes in major cities and Taiwan introduce regulations requiring e-bikes and their owners to be licensed.

China link to news item
Taiwan link to new's item

What's going on?

For many years now car manufacturers in China have been lobbying the government to cap the number of e-bikes that can be sold, they see e-bikes as a serious threat to the future of big auto and big oil. But I never imagined they'd pull this off.

39 million Chinese bought e-bikes last year. Anyone care to calculate how many mega tonnes of co2 that saved? Or how many life years the reduction in NOX and PM10 particles has saved? Or how many billions of dollars those 39'000'0000 e-bikers have saved?

On Monday I asked a Chinese national if the press reports were true:

"Hi James,
Yes,it is real,let many people discountented,how it could be happen and ban the ebike use.

Firstly in Shenzhen happen this,i have known many ebikes are confiscated by police,this make almost all people discountent.

Few years ago,the law mainly torward to the motorcycle to make a green future,but too many on the road,for now no matter motorcycle or ebike,the local police confiscate all these by force.

All people don't know why could this happen,how the government could make this law.

This also happend to myself,but have no any idea.

I think most because of the motorcycle case this happen."

Any other members have contacts there that can explain what's happening ....and how we can prepare to prevent it happening here?

 

[trex]

motorbikes and e-bikes are only banned in major cities.
The authorities want to reduce congestion and accidents.
I think that they are doing the right thing.
Presumably those who are affected would use public transport instead.

 

[shemozzle999]

Legal Electric bicycles are not dangerous (even those with independent throttles as our government has made clear) James but illegal ones are.
A different view on the limited ban:

http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2016-04/05/content_24291457.htm

 

[trex]

let's spell it out, accidents are linked to speed, and specifically illegal bikes,
the bulk of illegal bikes are dongled CD and derestricted direct drive bikes.
They are the only bikes consistently capable of 20mph+.
If your bike has a legal geared hub motor, you hardly get any assistance at over 15mph.

 

[(NoLongerRegistered#15675)]

Just goes to show we need to be aware and careful.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

My understanding is that they haven't banned them completely. They enforced the law, which is more or less the same as ours( 250w 25 km/h). The manufacturers have to get approval (test) for their bikes like Type Approval. That model is then put on an approved list. It's only electric bikes not on the list that are banned and confiscated.

 

[electrickery]

"Presumably those who are affected would use public transport instead."

they would need to put on a hell of lot of buses ro carry the 39,000,000 people that but ebikes last year ! Interestingly Edinburgh used to blame cars for congestion in princes st.. cars are now banned and the buses still cant move because of waiting for other buses . You couldn't make it up.

 

[electrickery]

My understanding is that they haven't banned them completely. They enforced the law, which is more or less the same as ours( 250w 25 km/h). The manufacturers have to get approval (test) for their bikes like Type Approval. That model is then put on an approved list. It's only electric bikes not on the list that are banned and confiscated.

I feel there is a lesson to be learned in there somewhere

 

[danielrlee]

I read recently that it was the scooter style ebikes they were cracking down on and anything resembling a regular bike frame was being ignored for now. As a result, sales of traditional ebikes have risen in China.

 

[Kudoscycles]

My understanding is that they haven't banned them completely. They enforced the law, which is more or less the same as ours( 250w 25 km/h). The manufacturers have to get approval (test) for their bikes like Type Approval. That model is then put on an approved list. It's only electric bikes not on the list that are banned and confiscated.

D8veh....their limit is 200 watts and 12 mph....they have done this for several reasons...
1. The cities are full of e-bikes,parked 3 deep on most pavements.
2. They are ridden everywhere,on the pavements,through parks and on the roads,not always ridden well.
3. They are dangerous,2300 deaths due to e-bikes last year,you learn to walk in straight lines to give the silent rider from behind a chance of avoiding you.
4. The increasingly affluent young want faster ones,4 kW scooters are common ridden by teenagers.
5. They ride at night without lights to conserve battery.
Dave,you have been to Shanghai,you know that their numbers have become a real nuisance.
Many big cities have built wonderful new Metro systems which are under used because people prefer the zero cost and independence of e-bikes,My supplier thinks that this move is to persuade people off e-bikes and into the Metro.
KudosDave

 

[Kudoscycles]

I read recently that it was the scooter style ebikes they were cracking down on and anything resembling a regular bike frame was being ignored for now. As a result, sales of traditional ebikes have risen in China.

Yes that's true,they really want to rid of the very powerful scooter style e-bikes,which can have £4kw,the norm is 1800 watts.
How about filling a container with these,should be really cheap at the moment and shipping to the UK,our government don't seem to care....only joking!!!
There are a very large number of mini-mopeds which have 500-800 direct drive motors,I don't know what they are doing about them,will ask one of my suppliers.
KudosDave

 

[james@justebikes.co.uk]

motorbikes and e-bikes are only banned in major cities.
The authorities want to reduce congestion and accidents.
I think that they are doing the right thing.
Presumably those who are affected would use public transport instead.

Yep those pesky pedestrians and two wheelers, such a nuisance.

 

[flecc]

The trend to banning has been around for years in China, long before the decision to have an EU type pedelec law. At first it was just the odd lesser city that banned them, but later it became some key routes in major cities where e-bikes were obstructing the traffic lanes.

The car had become god, but now even they are beginning to realise they can become a bigger curse so are trying to move to a larger public transport future.
.

 

[Kudoscycles]

They don't like the car either,unless of course it's an Audi with government plates.
One of the cities only allowed odd numbers,three days then even numbers,three days but an electric car could travel any day.
My supplier has offered me all 8000 e-scooter units,average power 1800 watts for 200 dollars each? Imagine what that lot would do to the e-bike market in London? Some of these will do 50 mph.
Any takers?
KudosDave

 

[flecc]

One of the cities only allowed odd numbers,three days then even numbers,three days but an electric car could travel any day.

This alternate day restriction originated elsewhere and has spread quite a lot. Mexico City and several South American cities have it but only Athens in Europe so far. And in Singapore they really know how to restrict car usage, one has to be very rich and determined to be able to drive one there, see this link.
.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I've just been doing a bit of research and found that it's not quite like the headline suggests. Just like here, there's regulations that apply to the different classes of vehicles. the problem was that there was a big grey area between pedelecs and electric bicycles, where people could ride electric two-wheeled vehicles without any training or licence. They took all the priveliges of bicycle, like riding on the pavement.

In China, electric bicycles with a maximum speed of below 20 km/h without pedalling are not recognised as mechanically propelled vehicles, so are still classed as bicycles and allowed all the associated priveliges. Any other electric two-wheeled vehicle that is type approved can be registered and used on the road with licence and insurance, the same as here. It's the unlicenced, unapproved bikes that are being banned. The penalty for infringement is $3.

In one city, all motorcycles were banned, presumably because of bias and power in the regulating authorities. I've often heard people in this country say that all motorbikes should be banned. If they were in an undemocratic position of power, they'd probably do it too. Who knows what their motivation is for those views, presumably jealousy.

 

[Artstu]

My supplier has offered me all 8000 e-scooter units,average power 1800 watts for 200 dollars each? Imagine what that lot would do to the e-bike market in London? Some of these will do 50 mph.
Any takers?

Properly registered as an electric moped/motorcycle there could be a market.

Any photos?

 

[Kudoscycles]

Properly registered as an electric moped/motorcycle there could be a market.

Any photos?

Here is a photo of a few hundred!

 

[craiggor]

They don't like the car either,unless of course it's an Audi with government plates.
One of the cities only allowed odd numbers,three days then even numbers,three days but an electric car could travel any day.
My supplier has offered me all 8000 e-scooter units,average power 1800 watts for 200 dollars each? Imagine what that lot would do to the e-bike market in London? Some of these will do 50 mph.
Any takers?
KudosDave

How much do you want for one ? Would they come with c,o,c or would we need to MSVA ? Photos please.

 

[Artstu]

Well if they could be registered you could be onto a nice little earner.