NSW cracks down on high-powered e-bikes with new laws ahead of Christmas
The cut comes as police warn overpowered models are becoming "unregistered motorcycles" putting teenagers at risk and endangering the safety of pedestrians.
The NSW Government is tightening e-bike laws ahead of Christmas as the popular devices surge in use among teenagers, with around 600,000 households now owning one.
Parents are being urged to double-check that any bike they buy this year is safe, compliant and suitable for young riders.
Under the changes, the maximum legal power output for e-bikes in NSW will be cut from 500 watts back to 250 watts, bringing the state into line with the rest of Australia.
The government says the previous increase triggered a rise in high-powered models that behave more like electric motorbikes and pose risks to children and other road users.
Transport Minister John Graham said the reforms were about ensuring families can trust what they’re buying.
“We’re seeing devices on the market that are far too powerful, too easy to modify and too hard for parents to assess,” he said.
“This is about making sure the bike your teenager rides behaves like a bike, not a motorbike.”
The government will also review the definition of an e-bike to close loopholes that allow motorcycle-level devices to be sold and used as bicycles.
National changes are expected to complement the shift, with the Commonwealth reinstating import requirements to ensure all e-bikes meet the European EN 15194 safety standard.
Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison said the crackdown aimed to prevent serious injuries.
“Right now we’re seeing too many powerful, modified devices that put riders and everyone around them at risk,” she said. “Nothing matters more than keeping our kids safe.”
Parents are being advised to look for EN 15194 certification, motors capped at 250 watts, reputable brands, and bikes that have not been “chipped” or modified, and to speak with their kids about helmets, safe riding and never tampering with their device.
It comes as NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Dave Driver has warned illegally high powered varieties are “a growing problem”.
He said of particularly concern are those e-bikes that can reach such high speeds, they are basically “unregistered motorcycles”.
“What we want as Christmas approaches for parents, and anyone else who was considering gifting an e-bike to someone, is that they only purchased one that complies with NSW law,” Mr Driver said.
“We don’t want anyone to succumb to any pressure by the children, peers or indeed salespeople, to buy something that is illegal.
“We don’t want someone to make a mistake on an e-bike that they’ve never ridden before... and we don’t want that mistake to cost them their life or a serious injury.”
Under current laws, the motors of e-bikes must have a limit of 500 watts, where some have been known to have 2000-watt engines.
Mr Driver urged parents to be cautious of the power limit - which ensures e-bikes cannot reach speeds above 25 km/hour with the use of motor alone - and not to be caught out buying a more powerful bike that has been modified to have a 500 watt limit, which is still illegal.
“I think it’s really important that parents making informed decisions about the type of bike they are buying, and really question the salespeople they buy them from about whether or not they are lawful,” he said.
“The bikes themselves aren’t designed to travel at the speed some of the motors will propel them at and that creates a particular danger.”
The Christmas warning follows an operation targeting e-bike and scooter use in Sydney’s south last week.
During Operation Trance, police stopped 115 e-bikes and issued 176 infringement notices, as well as 111 rider cautions.
Two e-bikes were also seized during the two-day operation.
Food delivery riders were also in focus, with 33 stopped and 28 infringements and seven cautions issued.
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Originally published as NSW cracks down on high-powered e-bikes with new laws ahead of Christmas
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