A bicycle with an electric motor is convenient, and often it is more practical than a mechanical analogue. However, in everyday life one has to take into account not only convenience, but also legal norms. It is good to know what legal requirements apply to riding an electric bike.
Features
The rapid growth of the length of cities and the congestion of streets with cars, motorcycles make alternative forms of transport relevant. One of them just became an electric bike. Its engine power varies from 0.15 to 1.5 kW. A hybrid is lighter than a moped and almost as fast.
It is much easier to park and store, and many have already appreciated the ease of driving.
However, it is precisely high speed combined with a rather tangible mass that means such devices fall into the category of motorized transport. And in Russia, quite a long time ago, they paid attention to the legal side of using electric bikes. This issue was first voiced in a government decree of March 22, 2014. A number of criteria for an electric bike were introduced there. These include:
- electric motor equipment;
- motor power up to 0.25 kW;
- Developed speed no more than 25 km / h.
Moreover, everything that is more powerful than 0.25 kW and faster than 25 km / h is already classified as a moped. Accordingly, in this case, the rights to an electric bike are necessarily needed. There is a special category M. However, in real life, drawing a line between vehicles with a power of 0.25 and 0.35-0.5 kW is quite difficult.
They can look the same and have almost the same technical stuffing, and yet develop very different speeds.
About legal conflicts
But not everything is as simple as it seems.There are electric bicycles with variable power. Their speed, as you might guess, also varies, while it can vary by almost 2 times. And there is a paradox: in some cases, rights are needed for the same technique, and in others, you can do without them. This issue is not fully regulated in Russian law.
Because it all comes down to decisions made on the spot by the traffic police. Theoretically, they can be challenged, but in real life it is either impossible or takes an exorbitant amount of time and energy. Therefore, you need to figure out in advance whether you can ride an electric bicycle without documents or not. And the most important point is, of course, the very power of the bike. The problem is how exactly the traffic police officers will check and evaluate this indicator.
Traffic regulations of the Russian Federation clearly indicate how to ride bicycles, and how - on mopeds. It is the responsibility of cyclists to move along dedicated and equipped lanes. But in most domestic cities, there are no such paths at all, or they are extremely few, and they are located uncomfortably and impractically. Outside large settlements, the situation is even more sad. Theoretically, the same rules should occur and riding an electric bike.
However, everything changes that it can be driven by both an electric motor and pedaling. And it is unlikely that the inspectors will have evidence that at one particular time a particular method was used. But it’s obvious that the traffic police are trying to make the traffic as safe as possible. Therefore, they will assume by default that the motor was used.
Conclusion: for your own peace of mind, it is better to go through the standard registration of an electric bike and take care of getting rights.
The fine for driving without a license is from 5 to 15 thousand rubles. On top of this, the vehicle will be seized and returned only upon presentation of a driving license. Difficulties for owners of electric mopeds are associated with the lack of law enforcement practice and regulatory framework at the agency level. Because cyclists need:
- comply with all traffic rules;
- Do not enter into conflicts with other participants in the movement;
- ride at a relatively low speed;
- choose a calm driving style whenever possible.
Comparison of Russia and foreign countries
In Western European countries, traffic is limited at a speed of 20 or 30 km / h. The specific meaning depends on the legislation of each state. Therefore, electric bicycles that can travel at speeds of up to 50 km / h will definitely need rights.
In Ukraine, legislation is being structured differently - not speed is limited, but only total capacity. There you need to register the rights to a vehicle with a capacity of 4 kW. License plates are not required. The electric bike itself also does not need registration. In Russia, registration of electric bicycles is also carried out starting with a power of 4 kW. If the vehicle’s motor is weaker, you don’t need to contact the traffic police about this.
As for the legislation in force in Belarus, it does not separate electric bikes into a separate category. However, taking into account the equipment of the vehicle with a motor, traffic police believe that it should be considered a kind of moped. Consequently, only people over the age of 16 who have obtained the AM category rights can use these bikes.
If there are rights to manage transport at any other level, the authority of the AM level is assigned automatically and does not require additional proof.
But Belarusian legislation differs from Russian in that prohibits electric bike drivers from using bicycle lanes. They need to ride only on the carriageway of public roads and nowhere else.And one more requirement, which is important to remember for Russians traveling on an electric bike to Minsk or Orsha, is that you cannot ride without a fastened motorcycle helmet.
In all three states, the procedure for obtaining the right to drive an electric bike is the same as for motorists and motorcyclists. This includes visiting a driving school, passing exams, obtaining official documents about such a passing, and passing a medical commission.
In Russia, you will have to purchase a CTP policy and install license plates on your "steel friend".
For comparison: in Kazakhstan, electric bicycles are officially classified as mopeds. Obtaining special rights to it is not required, but driving by people under the age of 16 is not allowed.
In Israel, from January 1, 2019, riding an electric bike on the roadway is possible only if you have rights and after passing the driver’s exam. A concession has also been introduced: now such a transport can be used not from 16, but from 15 years.
In England it is allowed to do this from the age of 14, but only in bicycle helmets; All electric bikes must be registered and tax paid.
In the USA you cannot ride an electric bike faster than 32 km / h; some states have additional restrictions. So, California law requires only people who are at least 16 years old to ride.
In different provinces of Canada, speed limits are slightly different. Speed limiters should be installed almost everywhere.
In Norway, the laws do not distinguish between conventional and electric bicycles. It is easy to see that in far abroad countries almost no special rights are required, and the emphasis is on other ways to improve security.
We hope that this information will help those who decide to ride such a vehicle abroad.
About whether you need the rights to an electric bike, see the next video.
