NSW to Ban 500-Watt E-Bikes, But Critics Question Safety Method

The NSW Government is set to ban the sale of 500-watt e-bikes, but safety advocates warn that the move won’t address the dangerous riding that has already caused trouble in communities.

Premier Chris Minns confirmed on Tuesday, 2 December, that 500-watt e-bikes will soon be banned from sale in NSW, with the legal limit for new bikes dropping to 250-watt, citing a Transport for NSW briefing paper that stated 500-watt bikes were dangerous. The change follows a rapid increase in high-powered bikes, which behave like motorbikes rather than bicycles.

“Road safety is a shared responsibility. Government is tightening standards and cleaning up unsafe behaviour, but we need retailers, parents and riders to help keep our communities safe,” said Minister for Roads and Regional Transport Jenny Aitchison.

The bikes have also raised concerns about child safety, especially ahead of Christmas when e-bikes are a popular gift. Moreover, e-bikes have surged in popularity among teenagers, particularly in coastal suburbs, with risky riding becoming a frequent occurrence. 

Critics say stricter limits won’t fix the real problem

“We need to tackle rider responsibility, rider education and enforcement if we want to tackle e-bike safety. Parents, riders and pedestrians all want safe streets. While the NSW Government’s decision-  to reverse the previous government’s decision… is a step in the right direction, it doesn’t go far enough,” said Independent Pittwater MP Jacqui Scruby.

Scruby explains that the government should instead focus on enforcing existing guidelines for e-bikes.

“We already have 600,000 eBikes. This includes many 1000W bikes bought as ‘offroad’ being driven onroad, and 500W bikes that are unlocked and being ridden illegally, exceeding speed limits,” said Scruby. “…let’s not kid ourselves, these measures will take time and rely on federal resourcing of border controls to stop illegal or potentially illegal bikes being imported.”

NSW will be aligning with European safety guidelines and working on a new e-bike definition

The move to 250-watt e-bikes will sit alongside new federal import rules that require all e-bikes brought into Australia to meet European safety standards, a change that bike safety advocates have been requesting for years. 

“If we have a different standard to other states, the federal government can’t snap those import restrictions into place. We’ve called on them to do that, and now we have to harmonise our rules as a result,” Minister for Transport John Graham told The Sydney Morning Herald.

The state will also review how e-bikes are legally defined to close loopholes that allow high-powered or modified models to be used and sold.

How the 500-watt limit was initially introduced

Rob Stokes, the former Minister for Active Transport, raised the cap to 500 watts in 2022, arguing riders in cities like Sydney needed extra power to handle steep streets.

Stokes reasoned that the Canadian-inspired 500-watt standard was preferred over the European model used in cities, as the European model had much flatter areas compared to cities like Vancouver.

To be legal, electrically powered-assisted bikes must stop assisting when the bike reaches 25 km/h. They must also stop assisting if the rider stops pedalling while traveling at a speed of more than 6 km/h.

Advocates, such as Scruby, have expressed concern that many e-bike owners and retailers are unclear about what will happen to existing 500-watt bikes that were already purchased or on the roads when they were initially compliant with the guidelines.