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EU e-bike law: pedelec versus L1e-B speed pedelec
Across the European Union an e-bike that assists only while pedalling, is limited to 250 W continuous and cuts assistance at 25 km/h is legally a bicycle. Anything beyond that is a moped-class vehicle and must be approved, registered and insured.
The pedelec (EPAC) exemption
EU law exempts a specific kind of e-bike from vehicle approval. Regulation (EU) 168/2013 excludes pedal cycles with pedal assistance where the motor has a maximum continuous rated power of 250 W, the power is progressively reduced and cut off when the bike reaches 25 km/h or sooner if the rider stops pedalling. Such a bike, often called a pedelec or EPAC, is treated as an ordinary bicycle in traffic law.
The harmonised technical standard for these bikes is EN 15194, which sets the safety and electrical requirements a compliant EPAC must meet.
L1e-B: the speed pedelec and throttle bikes
An e-bike that exceeds the pedelec limits falls into category L1e-B under Regulation 168/2013, the light two-wheel powered vehicle (moped) class. This captures speed pedelecs that assist up to 45 km/h and bikes with a throttle that drives without pedalling. An L1e-B vehicle needs type approval, registration, insurance and usually a moped licence and helmet, and the exact national rules vary between member states.
The dividing line is therefore not the shape of the bike but its assisted speed, its power and whether it can move on throttle alone.
National variations
The 250 W / 25 km/h pedelec rule is common across the EU, but member states add their own rules on minimum age, insurance for speed pedelecs, where S-Pedelecs may be ridden, and helmet requirements. A bike that is a legal pedelec in one member state is a legal pedelec in all of them, but the moped-class rules for anything faster are set nationally.
| Category | Power / speed | Legal status |
|---|---|---|
| Pedelec (EPAC) | 250 W, assist to 25 km/h, pedal assist | Bicycle, no approval needed |
| L1e-B speed pedelec | up to 4 kW, assist to 45 km/h | Moped: approval, registration, insurance |
| Throttle e-bike | drives without pedalling | Moped-class under L1e-B |
EU classification under Regulation (EU) 168/2013 and EN 15194.
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Sources: Regulation (EU) No 168/2013 on the approval of two- and three-wheel vehicles ยท EN 15194:2017, Cycles, Electrically power assisted cycles, EPAC Bicycles