E-BIKES & LAW
On the 1st of January 2016, the Directive 2002/24/EC was repaeled and replaced by REGULATION (EU) No 168/2013. An EP Regulation is binding on all Member States without the possibility of exceptions.
This Regulation has not brought any changes in the use of electric bicycles in comparison to the original Directive 2002/24/EC. Still, electric bicycles with a maximum speed of 25 km/h and maximum engine power are included in the category of bicycles on public roads. Higher power engines can only be used with electric bicycles primarily intended for off-road use. It is meant that electric bicycles with an engine power of more than 250W and at a speed faster than 25km/h can be used to drive off public roads only.
On public roads, however, there is still a maximum limit of 250W for engine power and maximum assistance speed of 25 km/h. In other cases, the electric bicycle is not classified as a bicycle and must be registered as a motorcycle.
// REGULATION (EU) No 168/2013 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 15 January 2013 on the approval and market surveillance of two- or three-wheel vehicles and quadricycles //
CHAPTER II, Article 2
2.
This Regulation does not apply to the following vehicles:
...
(g) vehicles primarily intended for off-road use and designed to travel on unpaved surfaces;
(h) - pedal cycles with pedal assistance which are equipped with an auxiliary electric motor having a maximum continuous rated power of less than or equal to 250 W, where the output of the motor is cut off when the cyclist stops pedalling and is otherwise progressively reduced and finally cut off before the vehicle speed reaches 25 km/h;
...
REGULATION (EU) No 168/2013: English / ελληνικά
Current law in Cyprus: Ο περί Ρύθμισης της Διακίνησης Ποδηλάτων Νόμος του 2018 (19(I)/2018)
