New law to register e-bikes as a car if they go over 45km per hour explained
The latest amendment to National Road Traffic Act will classify some electric bicycles as motor vehicles.
Denniz Goren, robotics masters student at the Mechanical Engineering Faculty at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) cycles to demonstrate a TU Delft SenseBike in Delft on 13 January 2025. Picture: AFP
CapeTalk's Clarence Ford chats with Roland Postma, Managing Director of Young Urbanists SA, about this registration and the future of e-bikes.
Listen below:
Postma says e-bikes give us more options and reduce our dependency on cars, leading to less congestion.
Under amendments to the National Road Traffic Act, any vehicle that travels more than 45km per hour should be registered as a car.
"It is important that an e-bike does not exceed that speed; if it does, the rider must have the legal right to use it."
- Roland Postma, Managing Director - Young Urbanists SA
He explains that there are two types of e-bikes: those intended for recreational and sporting activities, and those designated as delivery e-bikes.
Pedal-assist e-bikes require users to pedal to engage the motor, whereas throttle-controlled e-bikes permit motor engagement without the need for pedalling.
However, most e-bikes have a speed limit of 45km/h, which falls below the threshold outlined in the new law.
"Pedal-assist e-bikes stop providing motor assistance when they exceed 25km/hour. We need different tiers that address the various categories."
- Roland Postma, Managing Director - Young Urbanists SA
He suggests that those riding pedal-assist e-bikes, which do not exceed the speed limit, should be treated differently than throttle-controlled e-bikes.
How do you mitigate risk riding a bicycle in crime-ridden cities?
"We need more critical mass and more people on bicycles."
Roland Postma, Managing Director - Young Urbanists SA
Postma says it would be useful for South Africa to look at regulations for other cities around the world.
He agrees that some e-bikes can exceed the 25km/hour speed limit, and compliance on the roads is essential... and he insists the biggest issue that needs to be addressed is infrastructure.
"We can't use pavements and we need to ride in single file. However, the biggest challenge is that we don't have connected cycle lanes. For those that travel at higher speeds, where do they go on the roads?"
- Roland Postma, Managing Director - Young Urbanists SA
He adds that this presents a significant challenge and opportunity for decision-makers. The City of Cape Town has developed a new spatial development plan, designed for various modes of mobility. This plan is open for comment.
"We should be aiming toward a thriving economy reliant on walking, cycling, and more. We need to ensure we don't just create effective policies, but implement them. We're losing money due to congestion. Currently, we lack the right infrastructure to support [e-bike] speeds in appropriate lanes."
- Roland Postma, Managing Director - Young Urbanists SA
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the discussion.