Switzerland allows 500watt e-bikes

[Kudoscycles]

What in the European Parliament is still a much debated topic, has already been decided for in Switzerland. The Swiss Federal Council has set new rules for electric bicycles that allow for 500 Watt motors instead of the current 250 Watt.


This spring, after much consultation, the Swiss Federal Council has finally decided on the new rules for electric bikes. Biggest change is the admission of twice as powerful motors in both classes: 500 W instead of the current 250 Watt for ‘light mopeds’ (25 km/h = equivalent to bicycles) and 1,000 instead of 500 W at ‘other motor bikes’.

Admission of children trailers
Most of the further changes also affect the fast class that is now limited to 45 km/h. An appreciated facilitation is the admission of children trailers in this class. Undenied is the helmet and rearview mirror duty. But rather a chicane is that electric tandems are only allowed to transport people with disabilities anymore. No real sense can be seen behind the required minimum wheel diameter of 0.5 meters (a 20-inch balloon tire just about meets with this rule).

In the slow class of electric bicycles, there are only two notable changes: positive, that they may in future be equipped with a sliding support up to 20 km / h. Negative, that now 14-16-year-old need a moped license.

Unique in Europe
This new Swiss legislation is significantly more liberal than, say, the one in Germany. The approval for 1000 W motors is unique in Europe but is certainly not just explained by pointing at the steep Swiss mountains. Rather with the pioneer role Swiss brands had; Dolphin and Flyer in fact initiated fast class of speed pedelecs in the nineties.

With Stromer, Speedped and Tour de Suisse more ground-breaking products have recently been added. While the sales of fast speed pedelecs accounts in Switzerland for over 20% of the total e-bike market, they remain in Germany on a low single-digit range.

Surprises
Also the Swiss manufacturers, in general flexible, were somewhat surprised that the rules were changed in the middle of the season, in part, on 1 May and the other part as of 1 July, 2012. Thomas Binggeli of Stromer / BMC: “For us, the short period is a big burden. We have a lead time of nine months to produce new engines. Thus it was impossible to make the necessary adjustments in four to six weeks.” Kurt Schär of Flyer: “We felt involved too little in the revision process. For example, as the new 500 Watt limit for electric bicycles was never mentioned, we didn’t had time to provide for such a model when the new regulation came into force.”

This press release came out in July 2012.

It seems that there is an appetite for these higher powered e-bikes in the UK,am interested how many Pedelec members would take the risk riding these S-class bikes in the UK?
Similarly the latest X-Duro Race 28,45kmh x 350 watt Bosch motor,to my eyes an exciting looking machine,who would take the risk riding one on our roads in the UK?
Stromer and Flyer have new 2014 models to take advantage of these Swiss and German power limits. With the number of Kalkhoff BS10(350 watt x 28mph)bikes on our roads,IS IT TIME TO SAY HELL WITH THE LAW AND LETS ALL RIDE ILLEGAL BIKES.......
KudosDave

 

[trex]

let's not. Derestricting a bike is a personal decision, selling illegal bikes is just wrong.

 

[103Alex1]

A 500W e-Bike would still need to be restricted to 25 km/h if it's getting in to the 'bicycle' category. But this is tailor-made for long, very steep hills and addresses a problem no 250W commercially available eBike can deal with adequately. Even the best ones will only manage them at any sensible pace with considerable physical exertion beyond that which an average rider who is not especially fit would feel capable of sustaining.

The licence for 14-16 year olds is a positive step. Having road awareness is essential and this is one way to encourage them to get it early.

I do feel, however, that having passed a competency test ought to be sufficient to allow people to ride lower powered mopeds and not keeping a full driving licence.

 

[Electrifying Cycles]

We have decided to go through the process of registering speed pedelec properly to see how complicated the process is. The area where I can see a big problem is insurance. Will probably be next year now as I predict it will not be straightforward, but it does appear possible.

The issue with speed pedelecs is they can be used legally but noone appears to do this i.e. if it is properly registered or on land where public has no access to land (not many people have this though). If a customer is well informed and still rides illegally then I suppose that is their decision.

We would want to fully register any speed pedelecs sold however it appears people often do not want this even if it is possible.

I can see both sides of the argument and we would like to sell speed pedelecs but only if done corretly.

 

[trex]

until sellers can pre-register the S-pedelecs or guide the customers through registration process, I'd say don't sell them, don't buy them. It's not worth the hassle, buy a KTM with a Panasonic motor instead!

 

[flecc]

There's also the question of whether customers want 500 watts. Germany first permitted the increase from 250 to 500 watts in one of their classes just over two years ago, but after a brief introduction of 500 watt bikes by several makers, the bikes to fill this market have mostly settled at 350 watts, the higher power Bosch and Panasonic units unit being well known examples.

It seems 350 watts is a better compromise, giving sufficient extra power for most while maintaining a good range with low weight compact batteries. Once 500 or 100 watts units are adopted, batteries to cope and give adequate range can get rather large and heavy, spoiling the pure cycling aspects of e-biking.

As for breaking the law, that would be very unwise. We've got away with it once with 250 watts breaking the old UK 200 watts law, but having conceded that with a waiver and now being very aware of the subject, the DfT won't do that again. All that will happen will be growing traffic police awareness of easy "nicks" earning certain convictions with e-bike confiscations destined for destruction.
.

 

[Kudoscycles]

until sellers can pre-register the S-pedelecs or guide the customers through registration process, I'd say don't sell them, don't buy them. It's not worth the hassle, buy a KTM with a Panasonic motor instead!

The KTM e-race P is,in my opinion and those of many of the Kudos staff,the most powerful legal e-bike currently available.
KudosDave

 

[Electrifying Cycles]

I agree KTM is quick also like BH Emotion which feels comfortable to pedal at 35km/h on the flat. Regarding registration if we go through the process at least we will know what it is like and can then do it for customers/guide them through it.

 

[trex]

sorry to sidestep the subject, has anyone managed to derestrict the KTM P eRace?

 

[LEBC Tom]

until sellers can pre-register the S-pedelecs or guide the customers through registration process, I'd say don't sell them, don't buy them. It's not worth the hassle, buy a KTM with a Panasonic motor instead!

I agree, that KTM e-race Panasonic is,by a big margin,the strongest hillclimber in our showroom. Up until that bike and the other BPM motored bikes everybody was talking about crank drive but these bikes have swung the interest back into hub drive,it pulls strongly from 4 mph.
regards Tom

 

[103Alex1]

To follow a point made by shemozzle999 on the recent Kalkhoff BS thread - if that thread was to be moved (as it has been) to the UK off-road, S-Pedelecs and Overseas section of the site then if ever there was a thread which should be in that section then this must surely be it !

I trust it will be duly moved ?

I agree, that KTM e-race Panasonic is,by a big margin,the strongest hillclimber in our showroom. Up until that bike and the other BPM motored bikes everybody was talking about crank drive but these bikes have swung the interest back into hub drive,it pulls strongly from 4 mph.
regards Tom

That's down to the 47V battery no doubt - but it's not all about pulling up hill from very low speed. Aside from not being good climbers unless they assist at low speed (the previous argument for crank drives), a weakness of both types of system at lower continuous power levels is the very limited speed at which they can climb those very steep hills. Seems higher continuous power is the only way to adequately achieve this ?

 

[iain85]

I personally would buy one and currently am using a motor above 250w with a clear conscience. I am a great believer in personal choice and freedom. If people use there common sense we will be able to use the ebike in a safe environment and at our own risk with a motor that's up to task. I'm very excited about the continued development of the E bike (predominantly off road focused) and believe it is a fantastic new area that can only go from strength to strength assuming the national/euro beurocrats don't stifle development/progress.

Btw Dave @ Kudos, I popped over this afternoon to see you and the bikes but you were closed! Doh! Another time.

 

[Kudoscycles]

I personally would buy one and currently am using a motor above 250w with a clear conscience. I am a great believer in personal choice and freedom. If people use there common sense we will be able to use the ebike in a safe environment and at our own risk with a motor that's up to task. I'm very excited about the continued development of the E bike (predominantly off road focused) and believe it is a fantastic new area that can only go from strength to strength assuming the national/euro beurocrats don't stifle development/progress.

Sorry,Monday to Friday at Kudos....I have PM'd you for alternative suggestion....my personal opinion is that the Haibike is the best true off road ebike but the KTM e-race P would be also worth testing.
KudosDave

 

[iain85]

Thanks Dave and have replied.

Can you give the reasons for preferring the Haibike? I have unfortunately not tried either so am keen to learn. Also apparently Ktm do a hub driven with throttle, do you know which model this is?

 

[EddiePJ]

my personal opinion is that the Haibike is the best true off road ebike but the KTM e-race P would be also worth testing.
KudosDave

The Conway E-Rider Extreme would be mine, but it would be a pain to keep lifting it down off the wall after just staring at it in awe for so long.

On topic though, I'm quite happy with the power that my standard Neo Xtrem puts out, and in some respect I think that more power could spoil the riding experience.
Even with the standard 250watts, I occasionally get unwanted looks and comments from walkers on bridleways and green lanes, and that is with me just about stopping to pass them. That's also another reason that I wouldn't ever want a throttle. At least pedalling leaves doubt about the bike.
I guess that at the end of the day it comes down to personal choice, but it would be a shame if E-bike laws were suddenly rigidly enforced because of a minority of users that might want to use the maximum power at in appropriate times. Sadly I suspect that as the industry expands, which it will, then this could become a reality.

edit.. Just out interest, are there any links to Swiss built bikes? I'm off there next August, and it would be fun to at least try one or two out.

 

[Kudoscycles]

Iain,my like for the Haibike goes back to originally testing it at the Tour de Presteigne,it has adequate power but if you are genuinely interested in off road riding-by this I mean forest tracks rather than bridleways the Haibike frame is strong enough to cope.
The KTM e-race Panasonic hub drive I don't remember it has a throttle-a throttle is rare on euro bikes because they are banned in Germany...the e-race P is a strong hillclimber and quite a rugged construction.
Certainly testing both these would be a good starting point as a benchmark for off road bikes.
KudosDave