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Looks like China, the largest manufacturer of e-bikes on earth, is moving to shut down the use and production of e-scooter style e-bikes: "The statement on Tuesday urges local authorities to use the existing e-bike standards that were published in 1999 to regulate the manufacture and use of e-bikes. Under those requirements, e-bikes can weigh no more than 40 kg and cannot go faster than 20 km (12.4 miles) per hour. . . . The statement also requires users to obtain licenses, while e-bikers until now have not been subject to any licenses, including a driver's license." See the article here: http://www.reuters.co... Hard to believe, eh?  cheers?
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I've heard chatter here and there about something similar happening here next year. However I haven't be able to confirm anything at this point.
-Vic
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I've heard chatter here and there about something similar happening here next year. However I haven't be able to confirm anything at this point.
-Vic Victor, don't be such a tease! "Chatter" amongst connected insiders? And what does "something similar" mean? Driver's license? A ban on heavy bikes? Either would be a disaster for a lot of people, eh? cheers
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I've heard chatter here and there about something similar happening here next year. However I haven't be able to confirm anything at this point.
-Vic
Victor, don't be such a tease! "Chatter" amongst connected insiders? And what does "something similar" mean? Driver's license? A ban on heavy bikes? Either would be a disaster for a lot of people, eh?
cheers
Licensing and insurance. But these people always say in October. Mind you these are random people that flag me down while I'm out joyriding to ask about the bike. So I'm going to assume they have no idea that pilot project is over and that the bikes are fully legal already. Now if I could just get to the source of who's spouting this it would be a great help to me. I'm tempted to say the TCU started the rumor but I'm trying to be nice. -Vic
Edited by Vic on Jun 1, 2011 12:34 AM
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If it happens - I'll go on strike, if it does not help I'll move to the US where e-bikes are much more welcome, at least in some states :-)
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Interesting site mentioned in that Reuters article (Ministry of Industry and information Technology website): http://www.miit.gov.c...Quick search for "电动自行车 " (electric bicycle) turns up nothing recent suggesting licensing and enforcing standards... Nice bit of info from March 2011 re 2010: Bicycle industry in 2010 produced a negative growth from 2009 to positive growth
2010年，全球经济逐渐回暖，市场需求有所恢复，自行车行业经济运行呈现恢复性增长的局面。 2010, warming of the global economy, market demand has been restored, a bike show economic operation of restorative growth. 2010年，自行车行业累计工业销售产值由2009年的负增长转为正增长，同比增副达到24.19%。 In 2010, total industrial sales output value of the bicycle industry from 2009's negative growth to positive growth, up to 24.19% vice. 新产品产值累计同比增长60.1%，累计产销率99.3%。 Total output value of new products, an increase of 60.1%, 99.3% of total sales rate.
国际市场需求复苏以及低碳环保理念促进了脚踏自行车的增长。 Recovery and the international market demand for environmentally friendly, low-carbon growth in the pedal bike. 2010年，两轮脚踏自行车累计完成产量5901.9万辆，虽然还没有恢复到2008年的水平，但与2009年相比增长10.3%，由于2010年基数较高，预计2011年增幅将有所减缓。 In 2010, two pedal bicycle production totaled 59.019 million, although not yet recovered to 2008 levels, but increased in 2009 compared to 10.3%, due to the high base in 2010, is expected to slowdown in 2011 growth .
受家电下乡政策的刺激，电动自行车增长较快，累计完成产量1136.8万辆，同比增长29.7%，比2009年高16.8个百分点。 Stimulated by the policy of home appliances, electric bicycle faster growth, the accumulated production of 11,368,000, an increase of 29.7%, 16.8 percentage points than the 2009-year high. The "policy of home appliances" refers to that fact that in 2010 many Chinese provinces implemented a 13% rebate on the purchase of a number of home "appliances" including ebikes, w/the max. rebate for ebikes being 260 yuan, about $40 Cdn. Lock
Edited by lOCk on Jun 1, 2011 1:43 AM
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Another report from a China news site: http://business.globa...Crackdown on electric bikes
Source: Global Times [00:33 May 30 2011]
By Chen Yang
Electric bike associations and manufacturers are feeling increasing pressure from strict new regulations on the industry. More than 300 electric bike associations and manufacturers held a seminar in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province Saturday, claiming that they are worried that new regulations for the electric bike sector will hurt demand and their businesses.
A national campaign was initiated in March by four government institutions, including the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, to strengthen regulations for electric bike makers and riders. Electric bikes that are not in accordance with national and local standards must be eliminated from the market gradually, although specific dates for this have not been given.
This is the latest regulation for the electric bike industry – a plan to require riders to get a driving license for electric bikes that weigh more than 40 kilograms and run faster than 20 kilometers per hour was cancelled in 2010.
There were about 120 million electric bikes in China by the end of last year. The increasing number of electric bikes involved in road accidents have made more local authorities implement stricter regulations.
A national standard released in 1999 requires electric bikes' maximum speed to be under 20 kilometers per hour and their total weight to be under 40 kilograms. Some cities such as Kunming, Wuhan and Haikou recently released drafts on regulating electric bikes, suggesting their maximum speeds should be limited to 15 kilometers per hour.
Electric bikes will be banned from most areas in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province between June 6 and December 5 this year, partly to ensure road safety during the Universiade 2011 from August 12-23.
"The electric bike industry needs to be regulated, but the new standards are too strict for most electric bike makers," said Lu Jinlong, director of the Jiangsu Cycling Association, during the seminar. "We plan to suggest that authorities give more time for electric bike makers to deal with their inventory and adjust to the new rules."
Figures from the China Bicycle Association show there are about 2,000 electric bike makers in China, and that they produced nearly 30 million electric bikes last year.
"We are following the new standards closely, and I think our business will not be affected much by the potential change," Hu Gang, vice president of Jiangsu Xinri E-Vehicle Co, a leading electric bike manufacturer, told the Global Times on Sunday. Amazing that somewhere like Shenzhen (population about 9 million) is forcing ebikes off the road for 1/2 the year... This must be affecting hundreds of thousands of ebikers... Lock
Edited by lOCk on Jun 1, 2011 2:40 AM
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My reading suggests that the financial planners in China's government find e-bikes slowing down the sale and development of the auto sector . . for example: "Early on the official complaint was that rapid replacement of the lead acid batteries most Chinese e-bikes carry fueled pollution (According to the Times a typical Chinese e-bike uses five lead batteries in its lifetime, each containing 20 to 30 pounds of lead). Today the complaint is that deaths have "soared" from 34 in 2001 to over 2000 in 2007 (not too surprising given that e-bike use was exploding exponentially over that period). My take -- reinforced by alternative-transport and urban design activists in China -- is that these complaints are a smokescreen for car-oriented industrial and urban planners." - http://spectrum.ieee....I find it hard to believe that China will be able to snuff out its robust e-bike culture . . Toronto's e-bike scene, on the other hand, would obviously be much easier to crush, at this early stage. We can hope that our bike hating mayor will become so entangled in multiple messes, that he and his Ford Nation (!) won't have time to think about e-bikes. rolling cheers
Edited by Ben Jamin on Jun 1, 2011 3:03 AM
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Another article from that China-based news site, from December 2009: http://beijing.global...Beijing's electric bikes get a license to drive Source: Global Times [01:30 December 08 2009] Comments By Chen Dujuan
The announcement on November 29 that the city's 700,000 electric bike owners will be forced to take driving tests and acquire vehicle licenses as of January 1, 2010, sharply split public opinion. Those who feel that the bikes' silent motors, high speeds and reckless users make them an unregulated menace on the streets were jubilant. The rest, including the bikes' many riders, groaned at adding yet another layer of expensive bureaucracy to their lives, fearing that this will further impede Beijing's attempts to replace congestive car traffic with "green" transport.
The result of all the commotion came over the weekend with the temporary suspension of the new standard pending the relevant applications from the China Bicycle Association (CBA) formulated to the Standardization Administration of China before December 10, amid accusations that the original standard was a result of intense lobbying from the "motorcycle industry", according to Lu Jinlong of the CBA.
... so, lots of vested interests out there... auto industry, motorcycle industry, insurance industry... Looks like we have reached Stage Three "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win. "  LocK
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From the CBA site: http://www.china-bicy...Really horrible translation from the original: Person in charge of the China Bicycle Association, Quan hot issues
2011-5-31 16:35:43
Source: Bicycle Association of China
Speed electric bicycles "out of order" hot lead
To promote the healthy and orderly development of both a challenge and an opportunity
- Person in charge of the China Bicycle Association, Quan hot issues
March 18 Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the State Administration for Industry, the State General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and other four ministries jointly issued a document, a deadline for phase-out of excessive use of electric bicycles. The news came out in the community raised a lot of controversy. Documents issued by China's electric bicycle industry will be what impact? Around the implementation of the current situation? Printing of this there are different versions, with the above problem, recently an interview with the China Bicycle Association, the responsible person.
Q: The four ministries issued a "phase-out period exceeded the use of electric bicycles," the document triggered a hot discussion, that the Chinese Cycling Association How to view this document?
A: Police and other four ministries to strengthen the management of electric bicycle electric bicycle industry specification document production, sale and use of management are put forward higher requirements. In general, to promote the healthy and orderly development of both challenges and opportunities.
Document called on all provinces and cities under the circumstances of the introduction of electric bicycle regulations, strengthen production and sales management, carry out registration management, enhance consumer safety awareness, not only to benefit industry, but also to the interests of consumers and travel safety. Of course, the files also led to the release of business and industry response reflection, we all feel the pressure is still pretty big. China Bicycle Association, this high degree of attention, very seriously.
Q: The four ministries issued a document, and now all over the enforced?
A: The moment a new national standard has not yet formally introduced when the implementation of specific policies may be problematic, because the current standards or electric bicycles developed in 1999, after years of state, society, industry, no longer meet the present the actual situation. Electric bicycle standard revision, the state has defined the "four principles", is the production, rights of way management, and comprehensive consideration of the interests of consumer safety, is a systematic project, the interests of all must take into account. Of course, but also to our industry to allow sufficient space for development. We noticed that four ministries in the implementation process of the file, the provinces are seriously listening to the views of all aspects, to carry out research, according to local socio-economic and transportation development in the actual situation of the development of specific norms approach.
In fact, the "Road Traffic Safety Law" has been made in a few years ago, the non-motor vehicle types should be registered provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities according to local actual situations. Before the release of the four ministries files, as far as we know, Zhejiang, Tianjin, Jiangsu, Shanghai and other provinces already have specific requirements, including product catalog access and licensing record, and so on. Regulations and implementation details around there is a difference, including the speed of product, weight specifications. The documents released by four ministries, some of our enterprises, especially in provinces and cities bicycle electric bicycle industry associations are actively cooperating with local government departments to do research and document drafting. To our knowledge, the major cities and provinces regulate production and marketing management approach would have released in the near future. We hope and believe that all over the normative approach would facilitate the introduction of the sustainable development of our industry. Continues...
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