DfT says throttles ok and type approval is available.

[hoppy]

Just had email from James Brown at Dft that says "Where an EAPC is required to be type approved procedures are in place to allow this. The manufacturer should contact the UK's authority VCA who will be able to advise the approval process."

 

[flecc]

I'll believe it when I see proof of a practical method. The DfT's documents that they refer people to, including me recently, lead to the usual dead end of the Low Powered Moped class, being renamed L1e-A from this year on. The requirements for both at present are impractical for an e-bike, indeed the latter class requirements are still under discussion and far from settled.

If there is a new procedure, why doesn't James link us to it in his replies to us, instead of such unspecific advice?

In any case, Type Approval is only for manufacturers and agents, it's not a process available for individual builds. Those are served by Single Vehicle Approval procedures, once again the same Low Powered Moped/ L1e-A as before, so we are still in the dark for that as James hasn't mentioned that.

From the VCA website:

Vehicle Type Approval
VCA is the designated UK Approval Authority and Technical Service for type approval to all automotive European Community (EC) Directives and the equivalent United Nations Economic Community for Europe (ECE) Regulations. Vehicle Type Approval is the confirmation that production samples of a design will meet specified performance standards. Click on the relevant link for more specific information by vehicle type approval and ways in which VCA can help you.

And here's their help for us individuals:

Low volume/Small Series Manufacturers

Full EC whole vehicle type approval won't suit everyone, particularly those manufacturing vehicles in low numbers. There are no plans to introduce a Small Series scheme in the UK as there is already another route to approval in the UK, the Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval (MSVA) scheme.

Manufacturers making just a single vehicle or very small numbers of a vehicle type may wish to use the MSVA scheme. The MSVA scheme is the least onerous approval route in terms of compliance but involves an individual inspection of each vehicle. This route to approval gives sales rights only within the UK, not automatically throughout the rest of Europe.

But the MSVA pages still only speak of motorcycles with nothing about EAPCs, dead end once again.

Here's the MSVA page link, showing only mopeds and motorcycles, including the two classes I mentioned above.
.

 

[anotherkiwi]

Interesting reading in there!

Full speed throttle = moped... Sorry to come to that conclusion but it seems there is no way around it.

 

[craiggor]

When you pass the MSVA.You are given a M.A.C. So you can register the bike.Does a M.A.C. have a use by date ?