I have been increasingly bothered by the sight and proximity of electrified things on two wheels. I have been calling the things with a standing platform and tiny wheels e-scooters and everything with bigger wheels an e-bike.
I have more than once met e-scooters on the pavement and once on a motorway within Greater Manchester (easily exceeding 50mph). I often see what I think of as e-bikes, breaking any and all regulations that I recognise. This page explores —attempts to explore— what the proper position is.
Let's start with the scooter, such as pictured. From Electroheads:- Technically, an electric scooter is a motorised two-wheel vehicle or Personal Light Electric Vehicle (PLEV). They differ from electric bikes not just because they don't have pedals but because they are classed as motor vehicles under the road traffic laws. Because e-scooters don't (usually) comply with road traffic laws (like the fastest e-bikes) - in particular they don't have rear lights or registration plates - it's not legal to use a privately-owned scooter on a UK road. This is why it's often said that they are legal only on private land with the landowner's permission.
There are UK trials in progress in a number of cities [31, see the link] using rental e-scooters, where you can ride/drive a lot of places within the specified locale. These trials have been extended several times, currently to the end of May 2026. But the rules are very clear; even in these trail areas you may not use a privately owned e-scooter on the public road. The only place you may use such a vehicle is on privately owned land (your own) or with the permission of the landowner. That means explicit permission, not assumed permission and this most definitely applies to public space.
In short, there is almost nowhere you can use an e-scooter of your own. One wonders how anyone can buy one, given that restriction. You need a driving licence to use a e-scooter; the minimum is to have A,B or AM on your existing licence, which constitutes the category Q entitlement. So you most certainly cannot ride one if you're under 16. Basically, outside the trial cities, there is no sense in owning one.
Here, for example, is what Curry's post. Sensible, considered and correct.
Here is the Government guidance on e-scooters.
I found a site selling e-scooters and blogging on the assumption that purchasers would be using public roads. I wrote to ask how they thought they could encourage illegal behaviour. If I get a reply I will post it; until then they can stay anonymous.
This situation demands political action. It also demands a significant improvement in public knowledge. i wonder if trading standards are expected to curb sales, but am well aware this is one of the very many state functions curtailed by a lack of funds.
So, curiously, the distinction is not even whether the vehicle COULD be human-powered any more than the definition is whether or not the vehicle has a motor: instead, a scooter is classed as a vehicle and a bike is classed as a bike.
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Now let us look at e-bikes.
Technically an e-bike is an "electrically assisted pedal cycle" (or EAPC, or e-bike, or Pedelec) if: the bike has pedals that propel it; the electric motor won't assist you when you're travelling more than 25 km/h (15.5mph); and the power doesn't exceed 250 watts. [Cycling Weekly]
Here is the official version, with the formatting changed.
An EAPC must have pedals that can be used to propel it. It must show either the power output or the manufacturer of the motor. It must also show either the battery’s voltage or the maximum speed of the bike. Its electric motor: must have a maximum power output of 250 watts; should not be able to propel the bike when it’s travelling more than 15.5mph. An EAPC can have more than 2 wheels (for example, a tricycle). If a bike meets the EAPC requirements it’s classed as a normal pedal bike. This means you can ride it on cycle paths and anywhere else pedal bikes are allowed. [https://www.gov.uk/electric-bike-rules]
Please note that line, “pedals must be in use”. That may mean ‘pedals must be in motion’, i.e. being pedalled. I suspect that we have government action imminent; See Forbes. Keep going...
Just to be clear, with an e-bike, you don't need: a licence, as with a non electric bike; you don't need to register, tax or insure the bike (although that would be sensible); you don't need any special permissions provided what you're riding meets the rules for being an EAPC. You do need to be aged 14 or above to ride an electric bike. The age limit for mopeds is 16, but e-bikes are less powerful.
A question that needs properly declaring is whether or not an EAPC must be pedalled. I'm not requiring a non-freewheeling bike but the wording does say that pedalling must occur. Further, if your e-bike works without you pedalling then it fails to meet the EAPC regualtion. I would like this to be very clearly stated. The gov.uk page makes it clear that any bike that can be propelled without pedalling is not automatically EAPC approved and that therefore the manufacturer must apply for type approval. This generates a grey area. Specifically, a 'twist and go' e-bike is not approved, so it is not an EAPC.
If the e-bike goes faster than 25km/h without pedalling then it isn't an EAPC; if the motor is bigger than 250 W it isn't an EAPC. I see this as obvious. This e-bike is from Yoloway Direct, a genuine 25km/h Jaison Roamer e-bike.
It is easy to see that an EAPC could be built so that assistance only occurred while pedalling; to go faster than 25kph (as I do on my pedal bike on most open road) an EAPC would not be supplying power. The EU concept makes it quite clear that a cyclist might attain 25km/h over a lot of paved terrain, but would only go quicker than that under their own power. Thus I might expect that using an EAPC I'd improve my uphill moments to something much nearer 25 km/h, but I'd want regenerative braking and would use that a lot. A 'proper' e-bike will mostly behave like a pedal bike, but a bit quicker in the 'slow' bits.
This is repetition: the rules go vague in the interpretation of pedals and pedalling. Cycling UK makes it plain: The e-bike’s pedals must be in motion for motor assistance to be provided. I went hunting, and was frustrated more than usual, but found this, to the right. Trusting that the EAPC amended regulations of 2015 were indeed harmonising with EU law, then the relevant EU section is the EU official journal of 2.3.2013, Chapter 1, Article 2 (Scope) 60/56, quoted above here. We have not changed the rules since, though we have apparently talked about it. The trial of e-scooters should have generated enough information to allow sensible action to occur. I expect that the official line is that we have quite enough appropiate regualtion—I even agree, with respect to e-bikes—and that the rules we do have simply need to be applied.
I conclude that for an e-bike (EAPC) to be legal in the UK it cannot provide power unless you are pedalling; otherwise, it would be an electric motorbike (next section) and require insurance and registration.
An e-bike can go where a bike can go, but that does not include pavements. Electric bikes are subject to the same road laws as other bikes. For example, it is legal to ride a bike or e-bike on cycle paths and shared-use paths, as well as on the road. It is not legal to ride a bike or e-bike on the pavement. Many cyclists evidently disagree with this position:
In 2014, cycling minister Robert Goodwill said that police officers should use their discretion when it comes to prosecuting cyclists on [using] the pavement. If a cyclist is seen to be considerate of other road users while on the pavement, police officers will typically avoid fining them in most cases, instead choosing to point out the dangers of cycling on the pavement – to them and pedestrians.
So, if you're not pedalling when going quickly and free-wheeling is not recognised then this e-bike is not an EAPC. It is not, in fact, an e-bike. It is a something else. It is a pedelec.
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If your e-bike is above the 15.5mph or 250w limit, it's called a speed pedelec, or s-pedelec and is counted as a motorcycle or moped. The manufacturer must have UK government approval. And you'll need to register and tax it, have a driving licence to ride it and wear a crash helmet while doing so. These pedelecs may even have mirrors, horns and number plate lights. You mustn't use them on cycle lanes. [Electroheads]
Pedelec - registered with the DVLA, has numberplate, insurance, helmeted rider, appropriate licence. Basically they are motorcycles and are treated as such. Lankeleisi MG600 Plus 1000 W Fat Bike shown (fat tyres, on beach, here) even shows how to swap from 25 km/h to 55 km/h on that page. At 1000W this is a s-pedelec, even when the bike is set at the lower speed limit, because the motor is huge.
So, black and white: an e-bike should be under 250W and therefore has an upper speed limit is 15.5 mph. If it goes faster than that it must be treated as a motorbike, called a pedelec (crushing of pedalled and electric) and needs insurance, registration, etc. BUT that sort of e-bike is no longer ‘an e-bike’ but a ‘motorbike’, and so has greater restriction on where it can go.
If you see someone on a 'bike' going quickly without pedalling then this is a motorbike not a push-bike. The person you see should be wearing a helmet, have a licence, insurance and the bike probably ought to have a numberplate.
Really simple: Bike, fast, no helmet, not pedalling = illegal.
DJS 20240731
Glossary of sorts:
PMD - personal mobility device
PEV - personal light electric vehicle
EAPC - electrically assisted pedal cycles
Pedelec - any e-bike that exceeds 25km/h or 250W.
Electric moped / scooter - equivalent to a 50cc moped, speed limited to 45km/h; technically an L1e-B vehicle.
Electric motorbike - not speed limited are classed as L3e-A1, though they may look identical to the scooter form. Full motorbike licence required.
Having more wheels or more pedals (tricycles, tandems) does not affect whether the vehicle is classed as an EAPC.The test is whether the bike can be propelled without pedalling (in which case it is NOT an EAPC); what I have seen of usage means I do not think I have yet seen a bike meet the EAPC rules. BlueJay discusses this well, but is meeting the US regulation. I recognise that a pedalled e-bike would look like any other pedalled bike but for the sight of the motor. So the giveaway is the speedster who is not pedalling; they are, on the flat, obviously not obeying the EAPC rules and therefore should be meeting the higher regulation for pedelec or higher. And in that case they should have a helmet on, making a very visible distinction as to who is a law-breaker.
Leftovers:
A 'twist and go' e-bike since 2015 has no pedals and so is not an EAPC; it has an upper limit of 6km/h.
I dislike the inconsistency of mph and km/h. We should be writing kmph and mph OR m/h and km/h. I also dislike that we permit confusion between metres and miles, so m/h could be a proper snail’s pace. But mph exhibits sufficient age and difference to be a particularly (and peculiarly) understood label for miles per hour.
The situation is muddled only a little when we also consider disability vehicles Those with a max speed of 4mph are Class 2; those with a top speed of 8mph are Class 3 (and are allowed on the road). Neither are allowed in cycle lanes [which are not the same as cycle tracks]. Both may go wherever foot traffic may go - pavements, footpaths, bridleways. Vehicles faster than this 8mph limit are unclassified —as disability vehicles— and are treated as road vehicles. So only for use on roads, needing licensing, insurance etc etc.
Here are the laws for electric bikes. Cyclomonster. Electric bikes are limited to an assisted max speed of 15.5mph in the UK although this may increase in the future. To comply with the law the motor must not have more than 250W of continuous motor output. Pedals must be in use when assistance is being given. From 2015 electric bikes with throttle functions must not assist beyond 3.7mph. Any bikes falling outside these specifications would need to be registered, taxed and requires a licence. So if you have seen an electric bike with 1000 watt [it] is going to be illegal in the UK. Notice that line Pedals must be in use when assistance is being given.
Yet, look at this advertised as needing no licence, registration or insurance. Their blog makes it clear that purchasers are expected to use public roads. How is this allowable? I wrote that question on their blog and I may get a reply – but I do not expect one. Having written so much above, this is NOT an e-bike (EAPC) because it doesn't have pedals, though it is limited to 25km/h and 250W. But if it isn't an EAPC then it just might be registered as an exception. Because it has no pedals it must be a scooter so either it is illegal on all public roads or it needs to be registered as all other powereed vehicles must. I do not understand how it 'needs no licence, registration or insurance'.
top pic e-scooters
Sites visited and read but not linked within the piece: