Federal and state governments need to raise the speed and power limits on electric bicycles to help ease the traffic congestion expected as Australia returns to work during the COVID-19 crisis, the bicycle industry said.

The speed limit on e-bikes, which in Australia is set to just 25km/h before the bike's electric motor has to switch off, has had the unintended consequence of dramatically reducing the number of workers who are willing to cycle to and from work, Bicycle Industries Australia said.