E-bikes are becoming very popular, but should they require insurance? This video explores the questions around whether e-bikes should be insured, need registration, and require a license. As electric vehicles become more common, new rules might apply.
ebikes they’re fast they’re fun and they’re seemingly everywhere but as more of them hit the streets a big question is being asked should they be insured registered with the DVLA and only ridden by licensed cyclists right now in the UK most ebikes otherwise known as electronically assisted pedal cycles or eacks for short do not require a license registration or insurance to cycle as long as they fit under certain rules must be pedal assist only so no throttle or button to make them go faster and have a speed limit of 15 and a half miles an hour and a wattage limit of 250 W as long as they fit within these specifications they are treated the same as any other bicycle on the street but with more high-powered and modified ebikes hitting the streets concerns about safety and fairness are becoming a big question so what are the main concerns so from what I can see the main concerns include things like u pedestrian safety more and more uh illegal ebikes are being seen going through red lights um when people are trying to cross the road or even going up on pavements and hitting people and with some of these cycles going at 30 40 miles an hour through the town center it means that if somebody’s hit by one of them it’s akin to being hit by a scooter or even a small car in fact there’s been reports of people being hit by ebikes and dying a few days after there are also concerns around criminality and how ebikes are being used by criminals to um firstly evade police um at high high speeds um because unfortunately the police can only either chase on a bicycle where they are limited by what the the pedal um the pedal assisted ebike can do or they can chase them on a car where it is obviously unsafe to be chasing somebody on a on basically what is a small bike um at high speed so a lot of criminals are using things like these ebikes to get away from police um really really fast and also they are using it for things like phone snatching um and other things like common assault and stuff like that there are also concerns from the fire service around the batteries that these types of bikes are using they using lithium ion batteries which when damaged or poorly maintained or overcharged or even uh badly modified can cause thermal runaway which can cause extremely hot fires that burn very very hot and for a very very long period of time and are very difficult to uh extinguish i’ve even seen um footage of batteries like this exploding at all the batteries used on ebikes are lithium on any e vehicle if you use the wrong charger or the unit is damaged this can be the result and fire brigades fear DIY ebike conversions can increase the chances of mismatched and unsafe electrics so how is this affecting the gig economy where riders are relying on their bicycles or their ebikes to make a living but they’re not just reliant on their bicycles and ebikes they’re also relying on the companies to make accurate estimates on how long delivery trips are going to take to make sure and ensure that their pay is correct with more and more riders using illegal ebikes that are going to speeds in excess of 25 miles an hour what this doing is it is giving the company’s algorithm um improper data so it is telling the algorithm that basically an ebike is able to complete a delivery in a much quicker period of time uh than an a legal ebike is actually able to so this is creating a compounding um set of events that’s working against legal couriers because not only can somebody on an illegal ebike finish a delivery quicker and be ready to accept another order thus earning more money they’re also tricking the algorithm into thinking that a fee um that an order will take a shorter amount of time than it actually will which is allowing these companies to actually pay people less than they actually should be because uh a legal ebike that can go 15 and a half miles an hour is obviously going to take a longer period of time than a legal u illegal ebike that’s doing 25 miles an hour and this is all being fed into the into the algorithm the algorithm is making decisions based on this data which is obviously completely skewed this is also of course creating a situation where other riders that may be doing it legally are taking more risks than they otherwise would have to make sure that their orders are completed in a more timely f manner uh so I can see that people are making decisions when it comes to traffic that they maybe shouldn’t be and taking risks that they maybe wouldn’t have done if the algorithm wasn’t working in this way but some people say that regulating all ebikes for insurance licensing and registration would go too far they say that most people are doing things the correct way they’re riding a legal ebike um and they’re not breaking any rules this would also of course uh discourage things like carbon-f free um transport um and would probably hit the working class hardest they say that legal ebike riders that are currently playing by the rules should not pay the price for people that are not playing by the rules the illegal ebike riders who are causing um concerns in some countries like Germany for example more powerful ebikes are treated like mopeds with registration and insurance a must in others like the US ebikes are put into different classes with different rules for each class so the UK could take a more structured approach to this with different levels of ebike needing different registrations and different regulations so should ebikes be registered and insured well I think personally yes especially those that are more high-speed variety and the ones with throttles on them because it seems that at the moment although the police are trying hard they’re not able to keep them off the roads in fact I see advertisements for uh new types of ebikes like this every single day and I feel like it’s just something that’s going to grow over time and the police just aren’t going to be able to keep up however I feel like a normal ebike which is bought with its factory settings and not modified should be allowed to ride around without uh registration insurance and a license but I do think it’s time that the companies that are selling these bikes make it clear that these are not legal ebikes they are essentially mopeds and they should be ridden with a license um registration and insurance and I think that’s about time that legislation is put in place to make sure that this happens as I said as well the big delivery companies are quietly profiting off of the back of people using these types of bikes by being able to drive down pay scales so I definitely think it’s a really important thing to try and get get a handle on but please let me know what your thoughts are down in the comment section down below um I hope you’ve enjoyed the video if you have please take the time to like comment subscribe all those things that uh YouTube absolutely loves but I shall see you in the next video
30 Comments
No, simply powerful e-bikes must be banned.
Based on what you said, it sounds to me like your experience of ebikes is very limited to none.
You have an issue with throttle? Why? A throttle gives a rider more control of speed and is safer when setting off. It doesn't increase the bike speed .
The whole delivery industry? So delivery people can't use cars or mopeds? Of course they can. So they clearly are going to legally deliver quicker then an ebike. Making your point about illegal bakes void. The delivery times should simply be based on Google maps estimated time by car.
Next you talk about insurance on illegal bikes? The conversation kits are all lethal. Go look at the suspension, tires, wheels and brakes on a motorbike. They are designed to be safe at speed. A mountain bike is not designed to be doing 30mph plus.
I personally feel they should be treated like drones. Make every bike legally have to display an operator ID. Make every rider have to pass a theory test (drone test is for flyer ID and is a basic set of questions that show you understand the rules). Obviously drones have categories so put bikes into power categories. But simply then have a speed limit for paths/cycle lanes and then on roads allow ebikes to ride at the speed limit of the road. 🙂
I hold a full motorcycle licence but prefer using an e-bike for deliveries due to its greater flexibility with parking and access to shorter, more efficient routes. I wouldn’t want to use a traditional moped for this kind of work. However, given my training and licence, I believe I should be allowed to use a vehicle capable of at least 22 mph. The current 15.5 mph limit for e-bikes often creates unnecessary conflict with cars in 20 mph zones, which are common in my area.
Bit ill informed in my opinion. You need to do more research. Many cars go through red lights and kill more people than legal eapc.
My EAPC is voluntarily insured.
Yet again. Someone lacks knowledge on somethings. There is ebike company that actually legally sells e-bikes with throttles. And comes with legal docs. And again. Even road legal e-bikes actually go over the limits. Soon as go up hill. The watts go up way more. We need tire system like USA have but even know there clapping down from parts there. As well. You can get a e-bikes that can be road legal with up 4.000 watts and hit 28mph. These are called S-peddlecs. Need insurance and lights. You will never stop sales of these like other things. Because the country now needs all sales even more since Brexishit.
I live on the canal and these bikes are an absolute nightmare. They cause stone chips and even kill cats and dogs as they fly by the towpath. Most are used for drug runs
Don't put us all in the same category, it's how we ride them that matters
why is there all this confusion illegal e-bikes are basically electric motorbikes. Good riders are being lumped together with those who are bad or even criminals. stop mixing it all together
When criminals were using petrol scooters and motorcycles we didn't ask for any changes to laws. So why now with ebikes. It won't make any difference to criminals or road traffic accidents. As the numbers haven't increased due to ebikes. But they have increased due to mobile phone in use by drivers,Fact. Don't punish the many because of the few. The Criminals are less than %1 of ebike owners. I ride an ebike to work every day, and every day I'm overtaken by guys on traditional pedal bikes. I have a normal mountain bike. I can pedal at 30 mph no problem. My ebike won't get past 20 due to the weight of the battery. The law is clear as it is. It doesn't need amendments. The laws we need are already in place. You can outrun a Copper on a BMX so no law will change anything😂
There is a lot more serious crime that needs to be fixed before people start pointing 👉 the fingers at others.go for the big dogs and things then can only get better
250w max? Shouldn't that be 250w continuous? And where is this term defined in law?
I have a car license and use my e-bike to get to work. There is absolutely no way on gods green earth will I pay for any insurance or any kind of tax to use it. Law or not. Over my dead body lol. That’s where I draw the line. I live in Massachusetts so I don’t need to worry.
People can ask if e-bikes/bicycles are going to need licence plates the same way they can ask if vaccines cause autism. It's weird how people report on some members of the public having a question as if that automatically means they have a point. Pretty much all of the problems discussed/shown in this video already involve illegal bikes so for positive change to happen the Police would just need to start enforcing the existing laws more.
It's likely that if there is going to be any change to e-bike laws in the near future it will be to allow motors up to 500W and make twist throttles legal again (while keeping the maximum assisted speed at 25kmh). So almost the opposite of what the anti cycling brigade think the changes should be. The reason for the proposed changes is that companies like Amazon want to be able to use large cargo e-bikes for delivery and the 250W motors aren't really powerful enough for them.
The UK already has a category for more powerful e-bikes that have a maximum assisted speed of 28mph and can be ridden with a moped licence. They're called Speed Pedelecs.
The thing is. How many deaths have beeen caused by cars in the last hundred years and how many have been caused by e bikes .How many fires have been caused by cars compared to e bikes and how many cars have been used in crimes compared to e bikes .Logc demands that cars should be banned .Not e bikes .
Meanwhile back on Planet Earth.
No matter the government excuse, it was always the plan to tax, insure and generally rip of the public. If anyone really thinks electric vehicles of any type won't be targeted, then it's about time you woke up.
I'm a regular cyclist and think that mandatory insurance and a license shouldn't be required but think that E-Bikes should be registered and properly classified, this would help ensure that only safe and legal bikes are on the road, also having them in a central database could possibly secure bikes vs theft as well. The limit should be upped to 20mph on roads (whilst keeping a 15mph limit on bike paths) to allow for better flow of traffic.
The whole e-bikes mowing pedestrians over has been blown way out of propotion in the media compared to the many injuries and deaths caused by cars on the road per year.
Personally I think e-Bikes represent a great alternative to cars for those in cities, they take up less room on the road, are better for the environment and are great for light exercise, e-bikes just need to better regulated.
my bike is limited to 15.5mph and often overtaken by regular bikes doing 18-20mph. 15.5 is annoyingly slow riding in traffic
High power ebikes are not and never have been the cause of the issues you described and most of the world have embraced them and it has been proven that when they are used lawfully they are actually safer and reduce accidents with other road users and increase the flow of traffic and reduce the number of accidents caused by frustrated drivers doing dangerous overtakes. When it comes to your points about people running lights or riding fast on pavements well this is not an ebike issue this is a individual issue and it has been around for a very long time and when it comes to running lights there are people on non electric bikes that do it and for that mater I have seen more cars and motorbikes and white vans run lights than I have bicycle / ebike users, when it comes to paths again there has been a problem with cyclists and dirt bike users for a long time and people often forget how fast a bicycle can actually go and in many cases it is just as fast as an ebike, when it comes to criminals again before ebikes they used dirt bikes and stolen scooters.
When it comes to if " e-bikes should be insured, need registration, and require a license" my question is why and what issue do you think it would actually solve, most of the world that has embraced them do not need any of that they get along just fine and well just like knife and gun bans in the UK it only ever hurt the every day citizen and did nothing to solve the problem and those that do not care or the criminals simply ignored the gun and knife ban and continued on regardless and so the same would happen with ebikes, and the only people that would be effected would be the normal people and make it more expensive for them and that are probably already following the laws while the rest and criminals will continue on.
Then when it comes to registration / insurance etc what metric would be used to impose it like for example speed, well the problem as i stated earlier is people seem to think non electric bikes are slow and they can be but they can be just as fast as an ebike, case in point I cycle home on my legal ebike along a cycle path and on a flat part i top out at about 16mph and i choose not to pedal harder to go faster but every day this big guy on an old mountain bike that is non electric fly's past me and he must easily be doing 25, with the right gearing and the understanding of how to use them can go fast like my old non electric mountain bike it has 3 gears at the front and 11 at the rear and using the gears i can easily get up to 20mph and comfortable cruse on a flat road and if I use the gears and gradually go up the largest 44 tooth front and 11 tooth rear I can push it up to about 28mph and hold it there for a short distance and that's me an average slightly over weight guy but there are fit healthy road bike users that can easily hit 45 or more.
When it comes to battery fires this is not an issue limited to high power ebike conversions and there have actually been quite a number of battery fires that started on store bought brand name legal e-bikes, a lot of the issue is not with the bike its self or the conversion kit but people not educating themselves understanding on and respecting the batteries limitations and the dangers like operating and charging temps as those very much matter because if it is to cold when charging this can lead to internal lithium plating that eventually causes an internal short and this happens to all batteries is for treated correctly, but then there is the issue of bad sellers that will sell batteries that promise massive often imposable capacity's for £150 and to people that have taken the time to research this would instantly be a red flag as a good ebike battery should be in the £300 to £400 range or higher but most do not take the time they see one battery for £450 and then they see one that offers the same but for £150 and well guess what one they go with
Do some proper reseach please before posting a video.
There were several mistakes in first few minutes all could have been fixed by finding out the truth.
If the police can't prosecute people using high powered ebikes now, what is the point of requiring registration and insurance? That will be something else for them not to be able to enforce. It would be more practical and effective to randomly have a day when the police stop every bike they see and check if they are legal. Any braking the law can then be heavily fined and the bikes destroyed. The fines could be used to fund the police time.
Police are not limited….. there are forces using Surron’s (registered and insured).
Wrong sort of regulation and doomed to fail….
Make delivery drivers subject to the H&SAW act….. as if there employers incentivise illegal behaviour they will share in the consequences…… unlimited fines and prison sentences…,
More laws on e-bikes will not work to protect honest delivery riders….. applying H&S legislation to all commercial drivers and riders will give the Police very sharp teeth to tackle the underlying issues.
Regarding E bikes generally…. Make speed limits apply to bikes + raise speed limits to 20mph
You can easily spot illegal e-bikes. The black rear wheel hub motor is big, about the size of a tea plate, meaning it's almost certainly 1000W+… illegal. The rider is speeding along the road by using a twist-grip throttle on the handlebars instead if turning the pedals… illegal. The rider has his hood up and face covered to obscure their identity from authorities… should be illegal on powered vehicles that don't have number plates in my opinion.
Despite being easy to identify illegal e-bikes, the police don't appear interested in dealing with them, which probably explains why so many people are willing to break the law and use them.
Thank you you've just dampened my enthusiasm I've just given up my car and driving licence, because I'm fed up with paying through the nose for high insurance and tax. I hardly used to cover many miles so I thought I know I'll get an electric trike, because I will not have to to pay tax and insurance or need a driving licence. Now you've just thrown a spanner the works by suggesting it'll be a good idea to have all those things listed above apply to EV bikes or trikes thank you.
how many folk die? hardly anyone…over hyped..drugs kill far more and prescription ones
whats insurance we can have hire and reward for deleivry food thanks Gig please answer
Because a 750w hardly gets you up a steep hill and is minuscule to a 46kw surron. It should be about actually breaking the law because you are actually dangerous, not the specifications of the machine you paid for being against the law. EAPAC are nowhere near the power of electric motorcycles. Or even petrol mopeds. I had a 50cc and often did 50mph going downhill.
They just seem to want money and an excuse to take money. When they should encourage more people to go electric. It’s a total waste of time, the criminals are riding surrons at 46kw, not 750w that you have to drop down gears to get up the hill…. Insurance companies take the piss, especially right now and they hardly weigh anything in comparison, so minimal road tax. Plus CBT tests are not cheap. Might as well save your money and take a test for a real bike.
FFS they are mopeds, glorified by marketing .