I absolutely agree Shemozzle.
BEBA have been working hard with the DfT and all concerned parties such as TRL, CTC and BAGB to bring much needed clarity to the market. Although BEBA membership is steadily growing with some of the bigger names showing interest in coming on board in the new year, it is a shame that more importers, distributors and dealers are not getting behind BEBA to create an even more unified voice. Maybe it's time that we all put aside petty politics and started working together as a team? BEBA are keen to welcome all good electric bike suppliers as long as they can live up to the BEBA code of practice, which is there to simply protect consumers. BEBA membership is not cheap at £395 for full members and £195 for retailers with Active members investing a lot more in time and travel. However if the electric bike market is to be taken seriously we really do need to work together with a unified voice.
BEBA has discussed making a new membership category available to enthusiasts at a much lower price, does anyone think this would be worthwhile at this stage?
BEBA's last meeting with the DfT and TRL at the Home Office was very successful, and full details including all the presentations are available for those companies that have supported the industry both alone and through BEBA they can be found in the BEBA members' Dropbox.
Here is a short synopsis for Pedelec readers.
DfT/TRL EAPC Regulation Review Workshop 19 November 2012
Introduction (TRL & DfT)
All e-bikes (throttle only capability beyond 6 km/h) would be in scope of the Regulation and would need to be EU Type Approved if sold in sufficient quantities.
Vehicles outside of the Regulation’s scope (i.e. pedelecs ≤250W and ≤25km/h and individually built cycles) would be subject to individual Member State requirements.
Power limit
There were no objections expressed to a 250W power limit being the dividing threshold between EAPCs (250W or below) and motorised vehicles (anything over 250W).
Weight limits
There were no objections to removing the weight limits from the current EAPC regs.
E-bikes (twist & go)
Further consensus was evident that there should be no distinction in GB in-use law between pedelecs and e-bikes; the 250W power limit and 25 km/h speed limit were sufficient.
There were thus two main categories envisaged:
1. Pedelecs meeting the “out of scope” definition of the EU Framework Regulation, but conformingto CEN Standard EN15194;
2. Twist & Go e-bikes meeting the ≤250W and ≤25km/h requirements but still being in scope of the Framework Regulation and thus subject to EU Type Approval
Data plates
It was agreed that it would be sufficient for EU Type Approved e-bikes to display the statutory plate required by the approval regulations.
There is, no requirement for system voltage to be limited or displayed, either in EU Type Approval or by EN15194.
Speed pedelecs,
i.e. bicycles powered by motors >250W and capable of providing motor assistance > 25 km/h (e.g. up to 40 km/h). These can currently be registered and used as mopeds provided they are type approved, the rider wears a motorcycle helmet, has the correct driving licence, insurance and taxed.
I hope that gives a little more clarity.
Anyone wanting to get behind the industry by joining the team at BEBA please drop me a line and I will arrange for a membership pack to go out to them.
All the best
David
Unfortunately, removing the weight limit and retaining some sort of motor power measurement requirement is what will make it near-impossible to get a DIY or kit built ebike to meet the regulations. This seems a backward step for the DIY/kit market.
The problem is a straightforward one. To be safe, in terms of restricting collision kinetic energy to that which might be be expected from a heavy conventional bicycle then speed and mass needs to be limited. Motor power is not only a red herring, it is also awkward and potentially expensive to prove to be within the regulatory requirements for one-off kit or DIY builds. Power depends so much on the actual bike build, because of the wide variation in losses and varying loads with bike type, that it is hard to see how a DIY ebike builder could have any idea as to what the figure might be.
Even if the DIY ebike market was restricted to only be able to use sealed, certified, controller and motor combinations there would still be no way of knowing what the true power might be when installed on a bike. Ten minutes spent with a calculator and some motor and bike parameters will quickly show the wide range of power output available from the same motor and controller on differently configured bikes, especially for hub motors.
BEBA sounds a great idea in principle, but I really cannot see people digging into their pockets to join. Given that it seems there are some UK vendors who don't belong to BEBA it is perhaps pushing it if BEBA takes it upon itself to define new regulations with the DfT.
Any tidy up of the rather messy situation we have at the moment needs to involve those most deeply affected by it. That does not seem to me to be most UK vendors, it seems likely that it is the consumers who wish to convert a bike, together with the UK suppliers of conversion components, that need to lead this, not the vendors of ready built and approved EPACS.
Just my opinion, BTW.
