Ministry weighs tougher rules on e-bikes
ROAD RULES: While the transportation ministry is considering penalties for the sale of unapproved bikes, it said that many regulations are already in place on the vehicles
By Jonathan Chin / Staff writer, with CNA
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is considering amendments to penalize businesses that sell or supply unapproved electric-assisted bicycles and micro electric two-wheelers, officials said in a report to the Legislative Yuan yesterday.
The report came a week after Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lu Ming-che (魯明哲) urged the ministry to improve checks on illegally modified e-bikes and police access to certification information.
In a previous legislative session, Lu cited ministry data as showing that traffic incidents involving e-bikes had risen to 2,836 cases last year, from 2,325, 2,184, 1,765 and 1,059 in the previous four years respectively.
A police officer takes a statement next to an electric-assisted bicycle in New Taipei City on Saturday last week.
Photo: Cheng Ching-yi, Taipei Times
He said that 2,191 cases had been recorded as of August, suggesting that the figure might exceed 3,000 this year.
E-bikes do not require a driver’s license to operate, can be ridden on designated shared-use sidewalks and can reach speeds of up to 25kph, Lu said, adding that the vehicles pose a public-safety risk.
The Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例) defines e-bikes as two-wheeled vehicles weighing no more than 40kg that are powered primarily by human effort, with electric assistance and a maximum speed of 25kph.
Electric-assisted bicycles must pass type approval and display certification stickers before they can be ridden on public roads, the report said, adding that the law permits fines of NT$600 to NT$1,200 for riding approved e-bikes without certification stickers and the confiscation of vehicles that have not passed type approval.
The existing law already imposes fines of NT$3,600 to NT$7,200 on owners of e-bikes with unauthorized electronic-control modifications, prohibits their use and requires corrective action, it added.
The proposed amendments would introduce penalties for businesses selling or supplying unapproved electric-assisted bicycles or micro electric two-wheelers, while authorities already have procedures to seek the removal of illegal online listings, it said.
A Web site provides police with information on approved e-bike models, the report said.
Police have arrangements to request certification checks from the Vehicle Safety Certification Center, and the ministry could provide closer data integration if requested, it said.
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.