Ebike manufacturer Hero Electric, founded by entrepreneur Naveen Munjal, leads India’s e-bikes market. Munjal is also head of the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles.

There are two e-bike categories: high-power bikes and low-power bikes. Low-power, which have a maximum speed of 25 km per hour, do not require registration or a driving licence. These bikes constitute about 75 per cent of the e-bikes in India. Although more Indians are purchasing the bikes, they command less than two per cent of India’s bike market. Munjal anticipates that this will go up to seven to 10 per cent in five years.

The e-bike niche is being harmed because there is a lack of stringent testing by the Indian goverment, so substandard bikes are imported and sold. As with any product, if one e-bike lets a customer down, it is likely to sour him or her on the whole product.

Read more at DowntoEarth.com.

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Guelph, Canada — Electric-powered bicycles are considered bicycles in most places around the world…as long as they meet certain specifications. If they can go faster than a certain speed, they are no longer considered e-bikes but rather scooters, for example. So how do you find  what you need to know regarding e-bikes. Well, ask the shop where you’re buying it, of course, but also check your local government website to see what the rules are, just to doublecheck. In Guelph, for example, even though you don’t need a driver’s licence to ride a battery-operated bike, if you’ve lost your licence due to a Criminal Code infraction such as impaired driving, you are not allowed to ride them.

“If you operate an e-bike after losing your license, you can be charged with driving while disqualified,” Guelph Police Sgt. Doug Pflug pointed out. “It’s a bit confusing because the law says you don’t need a license to operate one.”

In Gueph, ebikes are those that operate on a battery not exceeding 500 watts or by pedal power and can’t go faster than 32 kilometers per hour. You can be as young as 16 to operate them and need to wear only a bicycle helmet. Ministry of Transportation spokesperson Emna Dhahak said the Criminal Code considers e-bikes a motorized vehicle, while the Highway Traffic Act considers them a bicycle. Therefore, if you lose your license due to Highway Traffic Act violations, you are still allowed to operate an e-bike. But a Criminal Code infraction means you can’t operate one.

WHAT ARE E-BIKES? (In Guelph)

- powered by electric motor not exceeding 500 watts
- maximum speed of 32 kilometres per-hour
- does not require insurance or driver’s licence
- operators must be at least 16-years-old
- must wear a bicycle helmet
- must have pedals that are operable

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Quatar: The Ministry of Interior (MoI) is currently testing a new clean energy motorbike, which will be used by the Al Fazaa security force.

They’ve been testing the bike in public parks, the Aspire zone and the Corniche.

The “T3″, built in California by T3 Motion, has attracted the attention of security agencies and companies from around the world because of its innovative technology and its zero gas emission. It was first introduced to the region in the United Arab Emirates.

The electric bike has a maximum  speed of 25 kilometres per hour, comes with LED headlights, a siren, an optional GPS tracking system and a video camera.

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E+ Mountain Bike and E+ Cruiser offer bicycles with battery-operated motors that allow people to ride the bike like a scooter, as well as a regular bicycle.

Dan Robinson, owner of Golden Gate Veloteq and Velolectric EBikes in San Carlos, says that people are really embracing the bikes.

The E+ bike mimic previous models of electronic bikes, have a higher voltage; thus they have a higher maximum speed. According to Robinson, riders can get 20 to 40 miles from one battery.

The E+ bikes differentiate themselves from the other electronic bikes, such as the ECOBike, because they are more powerful. The E+ bikes’ highest available voltage is 1,000 watts with a top speed of 30 mph, while ECOBike’s highest available voltage is 360 watts with a maximum speed of 20 mph.

“The appeal of these bikes is that they are exempt from having to be registered by the DMV,” said Robinson.

NOTE: Any bike that exceeds 30 mph requires the owner to have a driver’s license, and to register the vehicle with the DMV for a one-time fee of $18. Other than that, to drive the slower models, California law requires the drivers to be at least 16 years old and to wear a bicycle helmet.

Source: Nicholas Gosling/Daily Journal

The E+ bikes have other features that set them apart. One of the features is a computer that tells the owner the battery life, mileage and speed. The computer also has set programs that allow the driver to pick the resistance and a program that, while the driver is pedaling, will charge the battery.

All of the electric bikes have the option of not using the motor and pedaling, and the option of just using the motor to ride like a scooter.

Because E+ bikes are more sophisticated, they cost more than other electronic bicycles. Prices for the E+ models range from $3,500 to $5,000 depending on the model, voltage, warranty and other customizations.

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eZee Kinetics Technology is based out of Shanghai, China. Its bikes are quite popular and are distributed in the United States, the UK, and the European Union, and a few other countries, not to mention in Shanghai, of course! www.ezeebike.com

In the US market, the importers are “Nycewheels” and “Electric Vehicles Northwest.”

The company offers eight models, and a kit to convert an already existing bike. These models include a cross-country bike, and a tricycle for those adults who need the extra security of three wheels.

They produce both E-bikes and EPACs. With an E-bike, the motor is activated by turning the throttle, and there is no need for pedaling. (The rider can still pedal, and adjust how much powered assistance is given by the throttle.). With the EPAC, the motor is only activated as the rider pedals

Here’s their product line:

The eZee kit converts an already existing bike into an electrically powered one. Properly installed, the kit will enable the bike to have a top speed of 25 kmph (20 mph). Its range in E-bike mode is 40 kms, in EPAC mode – 40 km to 70 km.. The weight of the motorwheel is 5.5 kgs.

The Carro is their tricycle. Its top speed is 16 kmph (10 mph). Its range in E-bike mode is 40 kms, in EPAC mode: 50 km – 80 km. It weights 24 kgs

The Sprint is classified as a “comfort city bike” with a step-through frame design. Its maximum speed is 25 km/h (20 mph). In e-bike mode its range is 45 kms (28 miles), EPAC mode : 40 ~ 70 kms. It weighs 23 kgs .

The Quando is a folding bike with a step-through frame design. Its maximum speed is 25 km/h (16 mph) . Its range in ebike mode is 40 kms, in EPAC mode – 40 ~ 50 kms, The bike weighs18 kgs

The Cadence is classified as a comfort cruiser, and has a top tube. Its maximum speed is 25 km/h (20 mph) Its range in ebike mode – 45 kms / 28 miles EPAC – 40 – 60 kms. The bike weighs 23.7 kgs

The Torq is classified as a trekking bike, and has a top tube. Its maximum speed is 20 mph (25mph). Its range in E-bike mode is 40 km , in EPAC 50 ~ 80 km. The weight of the bike is 21 kgs

The Liv is a comfort cruiser with a top tube. Its top speed is 25 km/h (16 mph). Its range in Ebike mode is 40 kms, in EPAC mode, 50 kms. The bike weighs 22 kg

The Forza is a road/tekking bike, with a top tube, with a max speed of 25 km/h (20 mph) Its E-bike mode range is 45 kms (28 miles), in EPAC: 50 ~ 80 kms. The bike weighs 22 kg

The Forte is a comfort commuter with a top tube, with a maximum speed of 25 km/h (20 mph). Its range in E-bike mode is 45 kms (28 miles), in EPAC mode: 40 ~ 70 kms. The bike weighs 23.6 kgs.

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As electric bikes are becoming more and more common, different countries, and localities within each country, are still evolving rules to effectively govern their use.

Take the rules in the United Kingdom, for example.

According to European Union regulations, pedelecs may have motor assistance of up to 250W & up to a maximum speed of 25km/h. There is no helmet requirement. Riders must be at least 14 years old.

What’s a pedelec? The pedelec has an electronic sensor which senses when the pedals on a bike are turning. If the rider stops pedaling, the motor also stops. An electric bicycle, on the other hand, has a motor that replaces pedalling altogether.

In the UK, the EAPC Regulations 1983 allow both electric bicycle and pedelecs. The maximum motor-assisted speed is 15mph, and the maximum continuous power rating is 200W (not 250 as in the EU). The maximum vehicle weight is 40kg, which includes the batteries.

Source: LawyerAdviceNet

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