France
-
Maximum authorized power : 250 W
-
Maximum assisted speed : 25 km/h
-
Assistance type : Pedal only (no throttle)
-
Registration/Insurance : Not required for standard VAE
-
Helmet : Mandatory for children under 12 years old
-
Speed Pedelec (up to 45 km/h) : Requires registration, insurance, AM license, approved helmet and specific equipment lesveloselectriques.fr +1 heraldsun.com.au +1 bike2m.com +3 fr.himiwaybike.com +3 en.wikipedia.org +3 bikebesties.com
Germany
-
Maximum authorized power : 250 W
-
Maximum assisted speed : 25 km/h
-
Assistance Type : Pedaling Only
-
Registration/Insurance : Not required for standard VAE
-
Helmet : Recommended for all, mandatory for those under 18
-
Speed Pedelec : Up to 500 W and 45 km/h, requires registration, insurance, license and helmet lesveloselectriques.fr en.wikipedia.org +4 heraldsun.com.au +4 lesveloselectriques.fr +4 en.wikipedia.org +3 fr.himiwaybike.com +3 fr.wikipedia.org +3 en.wikipedia.org +1 avocatdroitadministratif.fr +1
Swiss
-
“Slow” VAE :
-
Maximum authorized power : 500 W
-
Maximum assisted speed : 25 km/h
-
Registration/Insurance : Not required
-
Helmet : Recommended
-
-
“Fast” VAE (Speed Pedelec) :
-
Maximum authorized power : Up to 1000 W
-
Maximum assisted speed : 45 km/h
-
Registration/Insurance : Mandatory
-
Helmet : Mandatory
-
License : Moped license required alerion-cycles.com bikebesties.com fr.wikipedia.org +3 fr.wikipedia.org +3 lesveloselectriques.fr +3
-
United Kingdom
-
Maximum authorized power : 250 W
-
Maximum assisted speed : 25 km/h (15.5 mph)
-
Assistance type : Pedal only (no throttle)
-
Registration/Insurance : Not required for standard VAE
-
Helmet : Recommended
-
Minimum age : 14 years
-
Speed Pedelec : Considered a moped, requires registration, insurance, license and helmet fr.wikipedia.org +3 lesveloselectriques.fr +3 fr.himiwaybike.com +3 fr.wikipedia.org +6 fr.wikipedia.org +6 fr.himiwaybike.com +6 thesun.ie +2 ebike.ai +2 radpowerbikes.com +2
UNITED STATES
-
Classification :
-
Class 1 : Pedal assistance up to 32 km/h (20 mph), without accelerator
-
Class 2 : Pedal assistance and accelerator up to 32 km/h
-
Class 3 : Pedal assistance up to 45 km/h (28 mph), without accelerator
-
-
Maximum allowed power : 750 W (some states allow up to 1000 W)
-
Registration/Insurance : Vary by state
-
Helmet : Required for those under 18 in some states
-
Access to cycle paths : May be restricted for classes 2 and 3 fr.wikipedia.org +3 fr.wikipedia.org +3 en.wikipedia.org +3 ebikesx.com
Canada
-
Maximum authorized power : 500 W
-
Maximum assisted speed : 32 km/h
-
Type of assistance : Pedaling and/or accelerator depending on the province
-
Registration/Insurance : Generally not required
-
Helmet : Mandatory in all provinces
-
Minimum age : Varies between 12 and 16 years depending on the province bikebesties.com +2 en.wikipedia.org +2 ebike.ai +2 bikebesties.com
Australia
-
Classification :
-
Pedelec : Complies with EN15194 standard, pedal assistance only
-
E-bike with throttle : Maximum power of 200 W
-
-
Maximum assisted speed : 25 km/h
-
Registration/Insurance : Not required for compliant VAEs
-
Helmet : Mandatory
-
Regulations : Varies by state and territory avocatdroitadministratif.fr +3 lesveloselectriques.fr +3 en.wikipedia.org +3
Japan
-
Maximum authorized power : Generally 250 W
-
Maximum assisted speed : Assistance reduced progressively between 10 and 24 km/h, cut off beyond 24 km/h
-
Assistance Type : Pedaling Only
-
Registration/Insurance : Not required for standard VAE
-
Helmet : Recommended en.wikipedia.org de.wikipedia.org +15 fr.himiwaybike.com +15 en.wikipedia.org +15
India
-
Maximum authorized power : 250 W
-
Maximum assisted speed : 25 km/h
-
Registration/Insurance : Not required for compliant VAEs
-
Helmet : Recommended
-
License : Not required for standard e-bikes electricbikeconversionkit.bike
Brazil
-
Maximum authorized power : 500 W
-
Maximum assisted speed : 35 km/h
-
Registration/Insurance : Required
-
Helmet : Mandatory
-
Minimum age : 18 years fr.himiwaybike.com alerion-cycles.com
New Zealand
-
Maximum authorized power : 300 W
-
Maximum assisted speed : 32 km/h
-
Registration/Insurance : Not required
-
Helmet : Mandatory
-
Minimum age : 16 years ebike.ai
Singapore
-
Maximum authorized power : 200 W
-
Maximum assisted speed : 25 km/h
-
Assistance Type : Pedaling Only
-
Registration/Insurance : Required
-
Helmet : Mandatory
-
License : Not required transitionvelo.com +1 elwing.co +1
Hong Kong
-
Legal status : EABs are considered motorized vehicles, requiring registration and a license, which makes their use on public roads practically illegal en.wikipedia.org
Italy
-
Maximum authorized power : 250 W
-
Maximum assisted speed : 25 km/h
-
Assistance Type : Pedaling Only
-
Registration/Insurance : Not required for standard VAE
-
Helmet : Mandatory for those under 18
-
Speed Pedelec : Requires registration, insurance, license and helmet
