Image: Sydney Electric Bikes/Instagram
The NSW government will be introducing a minimum age to ride e-bikes as part of their attempts to reform the safety of riders and the wider community.
There are an estimated 760,000 e-bikes across the state. Heavier and faster than traditional bicycles, e-bikes can be more difficult to control, with the the force involved in a crash heightening the risk of serious injury or death.
Following the commission of a Transport for NSW-led review, the government are expecting to recommend a legal minimum age between 12 and 16 for riding an e-bike, taking into consideration whether children and teenagers have the skills, maturity and awareness of potential dangers required to safely carry passengers.
Experts in child development and road safety, including the NSW Office for Youth and Young People, will be consulted, as well as and parents and young people. Its findings will be provided to the Minister for Transport and Minister for Roads by June.
Road minister Jenny Aitchison said the new reforms would help to ensure the safety of the wider community as well as the young people using the bikes.
“We want to make sure riders are physically and cognitively capable to handle e-bikes, so they can be ridden safely within the road rules,” she said.
“We think the risks are significant enough to warrant a change, and now we want to draw on the best evidence and expert advice available to make a call on what the limits could be. As a result, we will make a decision on the age limits after the findings of Transport for NSW’s review and recommendations are handed down.”
New safety standards to be enforced from 2029
NSW will also be adopting the European safety and performance standard known as EN15194, to ensure e-bikes perform like bicycles, allowing for the removal of high-powered, illegal motorbikes masquerading as e-bikes.
Under the standard, e-bikes must have a maximum power output of 250 watts, with power assistance cutting out at 25km/h. No power assistance is delivered at all after 6km/h if a rider is not pedalling the bike.
The standard also includes strict battery, electrical and fire-safety requirements, as well as anti-tampering protections to prevent power and speed limits being altered.
“The community has spoken against souped-up motorbikes masquerading as e-bike and this new standard makes clear that e-bikes must perform like bicycles not motorbikes,” said transport minister John Graham.
From 1 March 2029, only e-bikes meeting the European standard will be road legal in NSW, with the three-year period reflecting the typical lifespan of an e-bike, providing those who purchased an e-bike legally- and those who sell them- time to adjust to the new rules.
After a period of consultation, retailers will be required to clearly specify whether a bike meets the EU standard the law requires, with the government saying they plan to work closely with manufacturers to ensure future stock complies with the updated rules.
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