Bicycle sector calls on Government to take control of unsafe e-bike imports

 

Updated 7 August: Media Interview

This morning, Peter Bourke talked to Raf Epstein on ABC Radio Melbourne. How this problem came about and what the solution is. Listen here (3m11secs).

 

7 August, 2025

Media backgrounder & invitation

There is growing concern nationally due to an increase in the use of high powered and speed e-bikes and their impact on the growing number of crashes and deaths This concern includes use of non-road legal e-bikes (or unroadworthy motorbikes) and concerns around the increase in battery fires.

This document provides additional information to inform public commentary. WeRide is available to discuss this with you and your audiences.

Australian bicycle organisations have called on the federal Government to take control of unsafe e-bike imports in a recent letter to the Treasurer and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport.

State and Territory Ministers, Emergency Services and Police are all grappling with the impacts on roads safety casualties and battery fires arising from the use of non-standard, unsafe and illegal machines.

We Ride Australia (‘WeRide’), supported by Australian cycling organisations, believes that the changes to the standard definition of e-bikes and flow on impacts on import regulations are the principal cause of the flood of dangerous machines being imported and used on our streets.

The following is a Chronology of the situation in which we now find ourselves.

A chronology of Australian e-bike standards and legislation

2012

  • Then Parliamentary Secretary Catherine King adopts the leading global e-bike standard EN15194 as the national standard that e-bikes must meet to be imported and sold in Australia. National road regulations are developed by the National Transport Commission, but individual states determine and govern local Road Vehicle Standards and Road Rules regulations.

2017

  • It takes years for this standard to be adopted by all states and territories, but this process is finally completed in 2017, with NSW the last state jurisdiction to include EN15194 in legislation across all departments.

2021

  • The federal government removes Pedalec and the globally recognised EN15194 from the definition of an e-bike and amends to a simpler definition as an ‘electrically power-assisted cycle’ (an ‘EPAC’) that must have a continuous rated power of 250W, maximum pedal-assisted speed of 25kph and max throttle-only use up to 6kph. Unlike EN15194, the new definition has no ‘anti-tampering’ clause, which prevents illegal after-market modification and the dangerous high speeds causing the casualties in our communities.
  • The Government also removes the PEDALEC from the definition of a ‘Road Vehicle.’ The importation of road vehicles are only allowed for declared vehicles that conform to Australian Design Rules. The negative flow-on impact for Australian users is that EPACs are now only subject to a voluntary Dept of Infrastructure and Transport requirement for declaration that they meet the new definition of an e-bike (under the ‘ROVER’ platform). This has resulted in a tsunami of e-bike imports that are not tracked or declared and for which there is no declaration of conformity to the new standard.
  • There was no consultation with, or prior notice to, the bicycle industry prior to adoption of this amendment.

2023 – 25

  • Battery fires raise Emergency Services concerns for safety with increasing numbers of thermal runaway fires and the death of 2 people in a house fire allegedly caused by an e-device battery. NSW Fire & Rescue releases a study of Lithium-ion Battery Incidents.
  • Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia all conduct Parliamentary Inquiries in e-rideables/e-scooters/e-bikes. NSW and Victorian public transport operators announce e-bike bans on trains and some public transport.
  • NSW Government announces new regulations for sale of conforming e-bikes that result in all major brands selling e-bikes considering exiting the market. Cycle tourism operators in NSW with fleets of e-bikes consider ceasing operations.
  • Increasing incidents of casualties and dangerous riding of high speed, illegal e-bikes result in significant policing concerns nationally, NSW and VIC Police forces conduct enforcement operations to educate and issue infractions where appropriate. A Victorian Coroners Report is published in July 2025 following the death in January 2024 of an e-bike rider.
  • Queensland, New South Wales and Victorian Transport Ministers write to the federal Government seeking action to control the importation of illegal e-bikes and updates to safety standards.
  • The EN15194 addresses all aspects of e-bike power and safety standards and should be re-instated as the default national standard for all e-bikes imported into this country.

Media invitation

WeRide’s Executive Officer, Peter Bourke, and Director – National Advocacy, Stephen Hodge are available to discuss current e-bike issues on radio, TV or with print media.

Additional Facts

Power Ratings

  • e-bikes are defined as having a maximum continuous rated power of 250 watts. This is a difficult standard to enforce as it requires a dynamometer test to be conducted over an extended period that allows the motor to reach a ‘steady-state’ during operation, often up to 60mins, to accurately assess the ‘continuous rated power’.
  • Like other devices such as air conditioners, an electric motor may initially use up to 750 watts to initiate but then maintains 250 watts while running. For this reason, the total watts measure can be mis-interpreted.
  • The EN15194 addresses all aspects of e-bike power and safety standards for electrical and mechanical (eg brakes) of an e-bike and should be re-instated as the default national standard for all e-bikes imported into this country.

Standards

  • EN15194 is the current global best practice standard for all elements of a complete e-bike. It undergoes regular updating and is the default industry standard in the majority of world markets, including for the quality bike brands imported into Australia. The Australian market is very small at approximately 0.6% of global sales, for which reason WeRide believes Australia should adopt accepted global best practice standards.
  • Development of new standards is currently underway for cargo bikes, EN17860, and e-mountain bikes, EN17404, both of which are based on EN15194, with some additional structural elements included.
  • All e-bikes that meet EN15194 must meet the European requirements for e-bike batteries EN50604.
  • Other global standards that could be relevant are some years from finalisation, such as ISO4210 part 10.

Whole of product standard is needed

  • To ensure that e-bikes are safe road vehicles, Government’s must adopt a whole of product standard that includes electrical, mechanical and structural testing. This is needed to ensure the product is safe when charging, when riding to work or carrying kids in a cargo bike.
  • Australian consumer law explicitly excludes e-bikes from the Australian bicycle standard. The inclusion of EN15194 covers the specific testing of elements such as braking capacity and frame integrity.
  • Any direction by individual departments to focus solely on, or introduce standards that only cover, electrical elements does not ensure a safe product for the consumer. Adoption of the US e-bike standard UL 2849 would be an example of this.
  • Other electrical standards being reviewed for adoption in Australia are designed for household appliances and do not reference the complex loads of e-bike motors and would need years of development to be suitable for e-bikes. An example is AS/NZS60335-2-114.
  • The EN15194 addresses all aspects of e-bike power and safety standards for electrical and mechanical (eg brakes) of an e-bike and should be re-instated as the default national standard for all e-bikes imported into this country.

Road Vehicle Standards – amendment adopted in 2021 by federal Government

Web link: https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2021L00956/asmade/text

Road Vehicle Standards (Classes of Vehicles that are not Road Vehicles) Determination 2021

I, Simon Atkinson, Secretary of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications, make the following determination.

Dated 1 July 2021

Section 5 Definitions

(1) In this instrument:

electrically power-assisted cycle means an electrically-powered pedal cycle with a maximum continued rated power of 250W, of which the output is:

  • (a) progressively reduced as the cycle’s travel speed increases above 6 km/h; and
  • (b) cut off, where:
  •      (i) the cycle reaches a speed of 25 km/h; or
  •      (ii) the cyclist is not pedalling and the travel speed exceeds 6km/h.

 

Section 6 Classes of vehicles that are not road vehicles

The following classes of vehicles are not road vehicles:

  • (a) agricultural machines;
  • (b) golf carts;
  • (c) light utility vehicles;
  • (d) miniature motorbikes;
  • (e) motorised mobility devices;
  • (f) motorised recreational devices;
  • (g) personal mobility devices;
  • (h) power-assisted pedal cycles;
  • (i) quad bikes;
  • (j) tracked vehicles.