E-Scooters in Paris
Belgian Speed Pedelec & Moped Registrations 2021
Eurobike 2022 Moves to Frankfurt
COP26 – Light Electric Vehicles – Urgent call for Emissions Research
EP & Council Deal on Motor Vehicle Insurance
New European City Air Quality Viewer
Moscow Imposes 15 km/h Speed Limit on E-Scooters
Free Parking in Paris for Electric Motorcycles and Mopeds
Vässla Secures $11 million in Funding to Launch Club Rental Platform
Author Archives: Annick Roetynck
About Annick Roetynck
Annick is the Manager of LEVA-EU, with decades of experience in two-wheeled and light electric mobility.-
E-Scooters in Paris
Comments Off on E-Scooters in ParisSource: France24 – Paris has threatened to ban e-scooters from public spaces unless the rental compagnies provide more stringent safety features on their e-scooters. This was announce by deputy mayor David Belliard after a new collision between an e-scooter rider with a pedestrian last month.
Currently, around 15,000 e-scooters are available for renting across the city of Paris. Traffic rules limit the speed to no more than 20 km/h (12 mph) with one rider only. E-scooters must go on the road or on cycle paths.
“Either the situation improves significantly and scooters find their place in public areas without causing problems, in particular for pedestrians, or we are looking in to how to get rid of them completely,” said deputy mayor David Belliard, in charge of transportation (to AFP).
Photo by Christina Spinnen on Unsplash.
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Belgian Speed Pedelec & Moped Registrations 2021
Comments Off on Belgian Speed Pedelec & Moped Registrations 2021Source: Dienst Inschrijvingen Voertuigen. The Belgian registrations of speed pedelecs and mopeds class A&B show an increase for all three categories in the first six months of 2021.
Until 30th June 2021, a total of 6,177 speed pedelecs have been registered, as opposed to 5,593 pieces in 2020. That represents an increase of more than 10%
Whereas in the first six months of 2020, a total of 218 moped class-A were registered, this year that number rose to 442 vehicles. That is more than double of last year’s result. Registrations of mopeds up to 45 km/h went up by 81.6% to 1,624. Obviously, this number only includes classic electric mopeds and not speed pedelecs.
Photo credits: Stromer.
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Eurobike 2022 Moves to Frankfurt
Comments Off on Eurobike 2022 Moves to FrankfurtFriedrichshafen – Eurobike moves to a new venue in Franfurt and the event will be held from 13 till 17 July 2022. They will also have a new collaborative partner in Messe Frankfurt.
Eurobike 2022 is changing the concept of Eurobike, both in terms of content and venue. With this move, the organisation tries to showcase cycling even more than and in the heart of the city of Frankfurt. An experience for retail customers and a marketplace for industry and retailers. And a stage both for policymakers and the media. The Eurobike concept in Frankfurt will be characterised by handling, experiencing, trying out and test-driving products.
Its earlier dates in July take into account the industry’s modified production and ordering cycles.
Messe Friedrichshafen will contribute its EUROBIKE and AERO clusters to the newly founded joint venture named fairnamic, while Messe Frankfurt will contribute its global sales network and additional resources.
Find more information on Eurobike 2022 here: https://www.eurobike-frankfurt.com/en/
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COP26 – Light Electric Vehicles – Urgent call for Emissions Research
Comments Off on COP26 – Light Electric Vehicles – Urgent call for Emissions ResearchThe 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, is the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference. It is scheduled to be held in the city of Glasgow from 1 to 12 November 2021 under the presidency of the United Kingdom. This Conference is an unmissable opportunity to draw attention to what light electric vehicles can contribute to the fight against climate change. In this framework, LEVA-EU launches the following urgent call for research.
Task: model the micromobility future
The emissions case for the mass adoption of electric vehicles has been made, repeatedly and in detail. Some transport emissions modelling exercises have begun to include cycling as a factor. Few however have modelled the effect of recent mass adoption of e-bikes. To our awareness, none have incorporated the possible effect of optimal adoption of light mobility across the full range of vehicle sizes and categories. For LEVA-EU, light mobility includes all vehicles in the L-category as defined by Regulation 168/2013, as well as all vehicles excluded from the L-category as listed under Article 2.2 of the said Regulation.
This call for research requests a rapid emissions modelling exercise to be completed for COP26 (11/21) to characterise a truly zero emission transport future, at least for the majority of journeys which are short, in the developed and developing world, currently using motor cars.
If we place ourselves in the year 2030, and assume we successfully decimated transport emissions, while maintaining our mobility, what does the fleet look like? Which vehicles are we using and for which journeys? How, in emissions terms, did we get there?
Time and resources
This study needs to be completed by the end of September in order to allow aligned and targeted public documentation to be formulated, as well as a PR strategy for use in the run-up to COP26, te ensure the conclusions are communicated to Conference delegates, governments and media.
To bring global credibility, it is felt that whilst the core modelling exercise will need to be undertaken by a small group with experience in the field, it would carry additional credibility if a consortium of authors representing all continents and major (emitting) countries acted as reviewers and co-signatories of this work.
Deliverables
The main deliverable for this commission is an interactive spreadsheet model of mobility as it needs to be in 2030 for the Paris Agreement emissions reductions scenario to have been met, primarily through a major modal shift away from the majority of short, slow and local journeys being taken by full-sized ICE vehicles to those journeys completed instead in sub-500 kg vehicles.
A second deliverable is an accessible, interactive ‘data visualisation’ tool for decision makers, building on the model, that permits them to explore scenarios and self-educate as to why light mobility is the most expedient and least expensive solution to true zero emission personal and light goods transport.Are you interested in carrying out the study? Are you interested to review and/or co-sign? Please contact LEVA-EU Manager, Annick Roetynck, tel. +32 475 500 588, annick@leva-eu.com. The deadline for expression of interest is Friday 16th July.
Funding opportunities
This research will be part of a wider initiative aimed at encouraging research into different aspects of light, electric vehicles. Also, LEVA-EU will be working to facilitate networking between LEV-researchers. This initiative will create interesting and attractive funding opportunities (sponsorship). If you are already convinced of the need to invest in LEV-research and how research can help your business grow and prosper, please contact Annick Roetynck for further details.
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EP & Council Deal on Motor Vehicle Insurance
Comments Off on EP & Council Deal on Motor Vehicle InsuranceThe Motor Vehicle Insurance Directive has been under review for more than 3 years. The Commission presented the European Parliament and the Council with a proposal on 24 May 2018. This included widening the scope of the Directive to also cover a number of light, electric vehicles. Parliament and Council have now finally reached an agreement, which is not fully in line with the Commission’s proposal.
The Commission’s proposal to widen the scope caused a fear that electric bicycles with pedal assistance up to 25 km/h-250W would also end up in the Directive. In all Member States, they currently have the same status as conventional bikes. Therefore, they are not subject to a motor vehicle insurance. In some member states, e-cyclists are covered by the insurance of the motorised vehicle involved in the accident, irrespective of whether the driver is at fault. Inclusion in the Motor Vehicle Insurance Directive would also have annulled this so-called no-fault-liability.
The situation for vehicles without a seat, such as e-scooters, and self-balancing vehicles was less clear. Some countries do impose a motor vehicle insurance, whilst a few others, such as Belgium, don’t.
Parliament and Council have now reached a deal, which clarifies the scope of the Directive. The revised law will apply to vehicles in the L-category, thus not to vehicles excluded from the L-category. Excluded vehicles are among others electric bicycles 25 km/h-250w, e-scooters, monowheels and other self-balancing vehicles, e-hoverboards, … as well as vehicles exclusively intended for competition.
The most important consequence of the decision is that vehicles without a seating position an self-balancing vehicles will no longer be subject to a motor vehicle insurance obligation, whilst they currently are in several member states. Also, the deal is an official endorsement for the exclusion of electric bikes 25 km/h-250W. Other types of vehicles, such as L1e-A powered cycles and speed pedelecs are subject to motor vehicle insurance.
However, the Directive still has a clause that allows Member States to exclude certain vehicles from the Directive. Belgium, for one, has been using that clause to exclude both L1e-A powered cycles and speed pedelecs. It is unclear whether under the revised Directive Belgium will continue to apply the clause to speed pedelecs or make them subject to a motor vehicle insurance after all. The ambiguity has recently become even greater due to a judgment by the Belgian Constitutional Court. The Court has ruled that both speed pedelecs and e-scooters must be subjected to a motor vehicle insurance obligation. However, the Belgium government has not yet acted on that ruling. How all this will ultimately turn out with the revised Directive remains to be seen.
LEVA-EU is of course delighted with the certainty that the deal now offers for electric bicycles with pedal assistance up to 25 km/h – 250 W. However, it is a pity that the opportunity has not been seized to also exclude L1e-A powered cycles. These vehicles produce exactly the same kinetic energy as the excluded e-bikes. There is therefore no reason whatsoever to subject one category to motor vehicle insurance and not the other. This is yet another proof that the L- category is an unsuitable framework for these vehicles.
LEVA-EU is pleasantly surprised by the exclusion of, in particular, electric scooters. Given their low kinetic energy, it is the right decision not to subject them to motor vehicle insurance. LEVA-EU hopes this will contribute to the further development of e-scooters as a sustainable mode of transport. Finally, the revision of the Directive has clearly shown the need for a separate technical legal framework for light electric vehicles. This can then be used as a basis to tailor all associated legislation specifically to LEVs. Only then will the LEV-market really come to full bloom.
Photo by Hello I’m Nik on Unsplash
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New European City Air Quality Viewer
Comments Off on New European City Air Quality ViewerSource: European Environment Agency – Air pollution is a serious problem in many European cities, posing a real risk to health. The European Environment Agency (EEA) launched the European city air quality viewer, which allows citizens to check how the air quality in their city has developed in the past two years and how that compares with other cities across Europe.
In the EEA’s new city air quality viewer, cities are ranked from the cleanest city to the most polluted, on the basis of average levels of fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, over the past two calendar years.
From 2019 to 2020, the top three cleanest cities in Europe in terms of air quality were Umeå in Sweden, Tampere in Finland and Funchal in Portugal. The three most polluted were Nowy Sacz in Poland, Cremona in Italy and Slavonski Brod in Croatia.
Of the 323 cities included in the viewer, air quality in 127 cities is categorised as good, meaning that it falls below the health-based guideline for long-term exposure to PM2.5 of 10 micrograms per cubic meter of air (10 μg/m3) established by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The European Union has set an annual limit value for PM2.5 of 25 μg/m3 under policies to deliver clean air in Europe. The viewer rates the long-term air quality as very poor when PM2.5 levels are at or above this threshold, with five cities in Poland, Croatia and Italy falling in this category.
Fine particulate matter is the air pollutant with the highest impact on health in terms of premature death and disease. The viewer provides information on long term air quality in each city. Long term exposure to PM2.5 causes cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
While there has been a marked improvement in Europe’s air quality over the past decade, the EEA’s latest annual air quality assessment found that exposure to fine particulate mater caused about 417,000 premature deaths in 41 European countries in 2018.
Find the Air Quality Viewer and full article here!
Photo on Unsplash.
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Moscow Imposes 15 km/h Speed Limit on E-Scooters
Comments Off on Moscow Imposes 15 km/h Speed Limit on E-ScootersSource: The Guardian – Electric scooters, which are hugely popular and tracked by GPS, are forced to slow down in the city centre of Moscow.
Since early April, people in Moscow have hired e-scooters more than 1.2 million times and are expected to continue to use the rental services massively until Autumn. This has worried city authorities as e-scooter accidents are on the increase.
To control the e-scooters, which are tracked by GPS, Moscow has now imposed a speed limit of 15km/h in the city centre. When rented e-scooters enter the area, they are programmed to slow down automatically.
Moscow’s fleet of rental scooters is expected to double to 20,000 by the end of the year to meet demand.
The full article is here.
Photo credits: Segway-Ninebot.
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Free Parking in Paris for Electric Motorcycles and Mopeds
Comments Off on Free Parking in Paris for Electric Motorcycles and MopedsSource: eBikeGeneration – From 1 January 2022, parking is not free of charge anymore for motorcycles and mopeds. However, electric models remain exempted and park for free.
In future Paris, parking a motorcycle and moped is not free of charge anymore. Parking will costs half of the price for parking a car. The hourly rate is 3 euro for districts 1-11 en 2 euro for the remaining districts. It is possible for people who work in Paris to buy a subscription from town hall for a reduced hourly parking rate (Pass deux-roues motorisé (2 RM)).
Visitor without Pass Visitor with Pass Arrondissements of central Paris (from the 1st to the 11th) 3 € / h 1.2 € / h External district (from the 12th to the 20th) 2 € / h 0.8 € / h Not observing the rules becomes more expensive. Fines for unlawful parking go up from 50 to 75 euroin the city center and from 35 to 50 euro in suburban areas.
Health workers who are visiting patients at home are exempted from the parking fee, no matter which type of motorcycle/moped they are riding. Other professionals will enjoy special hourly rate, which still needs to be set.
The City of Paris argues that the new parking rules could result in higher sales of electric mopeds and motorcycles.
Photo by Léonard Cotte on Unsplash.
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Vässla Secures $11 million in Funding to Launch Club Rental Platform
Comments Off on Vässla Secures $11 million in Funding to Launch Club Rental PlatformJUNE 2021 – STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN – LEVA-EU member Vässla, the Swedish micro mobility startup that produces e-bikes and e-mopeds, announced that it has raised $11 million in a recent funding round.
Following significant growth within the Swedish micro mobility sector, Vässla raises new capital to focus on launching its Vässla Club rental platform for individual users, delivery drivers, and businesses
The funding was led by Swedish investment group Skabholmen Invest. The family-owned investment group is headed up by Anders Pettersson, who has more than 30 years’ experience in developing national and international companies through growth and acquisitions. Skabholmen Invest will be joining the Vässla board of directors.
Also contributing to the funding is a number of high profile Nordic-based entrepreneurs and finance profiles. Among them are Magnus Wiberg and Patrik Hedelin who founded the growth capital firm eEquity.
Following the successful launch of its e-moped, the Vässla Moped, the company plans to utilise the funding to launch its Vässla Club rental platform; a tailor-made micro mobility solution creating a seamless mobility experience for people, delivery drivers, and businesses. This will be provided via the Vässla Club sharing app, which has fleet management capabilities, and users can gain access to Vässla bikes. This offers the best mobility solution at low cost, added employee satisfaction and helps companies and individuals contribute to more sustainable behaviour. The platform will have three separate offerings including:
- Vässla Club for People: A monthly subscription service for end users
- Vässla Club for Delivery: A weekly subscription service for delivery drivers
- Vässla Club for Enterprises: Hourly rental service for hotels, resorts, campsites etc.
The funding comes at a crucial point for Vässla, with its recently-released Vässla Bike bringing a new era of micro mobility to the streets of Scandinavia, with pilot schemes planned for several major European cities including Berlin, Vienna, Hamburg, and Madrid. The company also plans to expand into the booming micro mobility market in the United Kingdom at a later date, pending government legislation on e-scooters.
Photo credits: Vässla
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