China: E-Bikers will need driving license

[chinabiker]

I know a bunch of e-bike (e-bicycle) riders and also tried these myself. During rush hours, they are incredible fast, no way to follow by car or in some situations (red lights ) even by moto! The weak point of these are the batteries (performance, lifetime). If my way to work would be in the mileage range of an e-bike, I'd definitely have one.


P.S.

Yes wishful thinking....but you seem in favor of cars so much, maybe you own and drive one...?

Well I'm a car hater, I admit it!

Except when they are on racetracks and are rear wheel drive and have over 200KW of power, in which case cars kick ass!

We own 2 cars (Volkswagen), one of which is 3 days and 700kms old The car I gave away a couple of days ago was a "mychinacar" (sucks)
My daily work return trip is 150+ km and I cherish the relative safety and comfort of a car, particularly in winter (we had -8C, 40km/h winds tonight). I leave when it's still dark and I return when it is dark again. The bike is no option from November to February, neither is a e-bike or pedal one all year.
I hate traffic jams as well as ridiculous parking fees and therefore use public transport or the bike to go downtown.
I have driven 1 M+ kms (200k+ thereof in China) in cars, accident free, consider myself a safe and defensive driver (wife would disagree ) and join add on courses from time to time, but I am aware that things can still go wrong
BUT
I love motorbikes - with 2 wheels

[CrazyCarl]

I don't think anyone really enjoys commuting on a bike when it's extremely cold, hailing, raining or snowing. You could also add extremely high winds and sand/dust storms in there as well. For these conditions I'd rather be in a car as a matter of safety just as much as comfort.

The problem with cars only really appears when the scale shifts towards the massive end of the spectrum. Plainly put, they're just too much metal in order to move one person around. If they were used at full capacity a majority or all of the time it would be different but in many cases they aren't.

I unsderstand needing some protection from the environment but does a vehicle need to have 300hp and weigh 1500kg to move one person to the office and back every day?

If it's nice outside, just...

CC

[ZMC888]

Andy, of course to be fair often people need cars, especially in your situation, and at this time of year. Usually Chinese need their cars much less than people western countries. I am actually a very experienced car and truck driver in Europe, but I actually hate driving these vehicles on the road. I commiserate with those for whom owning a car is a regrettable necessity, but I can't understand why anyone would ever enjoy driving an underpowered front wheel drive car, especially in a city. But I do understand why it may be enjoyable on an empty road, it's just that I would always prefer to be on a motorcycle (weather permitting of course).

I am in favor of e-bikes due to the situation of one of my co-workers. He lives 3-4km from work, he is too old for a bicycle to be a practical option, and a car is too expensive on his salary. An e-bike is his lifeline, to imagine this being taken away from him, is a bad idea in my opinion.

[chinabiker]

I unsderstand needing some protection from the environment but does a vehicle need to have 300hp and weigh 1500kg to move one person to the office and back every day?

this depends on the person
Yeah, right but difficult to draw a line.

If it's nice outside, just...

that's for sure
Temp (incl. wind chill) > freezing AND temp (incl. heat index) < 40C AND wind < 30 kph AND raindrop dia < 6mm = NICE (for me in Beijing)



Some more reads about the actual topic.



http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%...18-186682.html

http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/wor...es_430670.html

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/20...t_12658766.htm

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=a1g_bLUPbGHk

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/articl...ostponed-24440



First time I heard about electric mountain bikes.

[bigdamo]

Problem with that theory is it would take some real re-engineering for them to do so. If you REALLY wanted to make a lighter e-bike you'd need entirely new frame designs made of something other than modified steel gas scooter frames and plastics. If their regulations are enforced, they'd have to do some serious work to keep them under 40kg and still provide the cheap prices they've been selling for over the past few years. Unique engineering costs money, and who's willing to pay for that? We're talking to the tune of 20,000,000 units a year!

Also, adding lithium batteries still won't address the supposed 20km/hr limit which would classify them as motorcycles.

I saw a tv report just now that said some e-bike industry people are claiming the new regulations are there to protect the motorcycle manufacturers but I don't think that's the case since they've done just about everything they could to make sure motorcycles are hard or impossible to use where they'd make most sense.

I think they came to the realization that e-bikes are dangerous AND they can make money from them through regulation and licensing.

CC

Some business man has been selling E-bikes which are powered by lithium batteries in Australia for the past 2-3 years and yes they are made in China.

I think they are under 40 kgs.

KTM has developed a prototype Dirt bike that you guessed it runs on lithium batteries.

[chinabiker]

Another interesting read on this topic.

[iamcanjim]

HOnestly, 2500 fatalities in a country of 1.2 billion is nothing. If China could crack down of bad driving it would actually make the place safer.

[ZMC888]

If China could crack down of bad driving it would actually make the place safer.

Exactly! How many of the 2500 killed were knocked down by car drivers? People often quote stats to show how bicycles/motorcycles electric bikes are less safe than cars, although it's cars that actually kill and injure a lot of people on two wheels.

[chinabiker]

HOnestly, 2500 fatalities in a country of 1.2 billion is nothing. If China could crack down of bad driving it would actually make the place safer.

You have a interesting view on lost lives I must say.

[chinabiker]

.. If China could crack down of bad driving it would actually make the place safer.

They have to
A bunch of my staff is currently in training for their driving license or recently got it. It's horrible how much they get taught.
It ranges from funny to dangerous.


When you reach a speed of 60 kph you must have shifted into the fifth gear.
The left most lane on is the safest on an expressway
In bad visual conditions, e.g. dense fog, you turn on the hazard flash not the lights. It saves electricity and therefore gasoline

All this and much more has been said by driving instructors