The German Bicycle Logistics Association (RLVD) sees the current position of the Bicycle Industry Association (ZIV) on limiting the peak power of pedelecs as a threat to road safety. Cargo bikes and bicycle logistics are an essential component of the transport transition and contribute to calming traffic and making it more compatible with urban areas.

Two central statements of the RLVD

1. Top performance ensures practical suitability – not danger, but control:

In commercial use—e.g., when accelerating loaded cargo bikes on inclines, making deliveries in hilly Stuttgart, or using ramps in underground parking garages—high motor power for short periods is essential. Otherwise, the bike becomes too slow in flowing traffic and difficult to control. A rigid upper limit on peak power, as proposed by the ZIV, would thus jeopardize the suitability of established cargo bike systems for everyday use.

2. Safety is created through comprehensible, technical standards – not through abstract mudflat limits:

Cargo bikes are electrically assisted up to a maximum speed of 25 km/h. Traffic calming through low speeds is proven to be the best way to increase road safety. Cargo bikes achieve this by replacing vans and cars.

Under the guise of a safety debate, the ZIV’s position proposes, among other things, a limit on peak electrical power to 750 W. The RLVD, however, warns against such a regulation: Instead of unclear power limits, what is needed is the consistent application of the European EN 17860 series of standards. This already distinguishes between light and heavy cargo bikes and contains clearly measurable safety-relevant requirements – such as permissible total weights for each bike type, structural mechanical tests, and defined braking decelerations.

Electric cycles are clearly regulated in EU Regulation 168/2013. The RLVD considers this definition to be reasonable and sees no need for changes at the national level. The safety of modern cargo bikes is ensured by technical standards – not by abstract performance limits. Limiting the peak power of heavy commercial cargo bikes offers no safety benefit. On the contrary: It would artificially restrict their usability, especially when starting off under load. This would hinder the urgently needed transition from large, emission-intensive motor vehicles to lightweight, electrically assisted cargo bikes – and thus do more harm than good to road safety.

LEVA-EU: ZIV’s Proposal Is Unfounded and Discriminatory

LEVA-EU has issued its own detailed rebuttal to ZIV’s proposal, which seeks to split EPACs into restrictive legal subcategories based on arbitrary criteria like peak power, assistance factor, and vehicle weight.

“The ZIV proposal would severely hinder innovation and discriminate against essential users—such as logistics operators, elderly and disabled riders—while offering no actual safety benefit,” – LEVA-EU Statement, 30 May 2025.

LEVA-EU denounces the proposal as a protectionist move by traditional bike manufacturers seeking to shield their market share at the expense of more powerful or inclusive electric vehicle types.

📢 Join the LEVA-EU Info-Meeting at Eurobike – Debate the Future of Light Electric Vehicle Regulations

This critical topic will be a central item at the LEVA-EU Info-Meeting at Eurobike, where LEVA-EU will present its formal response to the ZIV proposal and discuss the broader implications for the EPAC and LEV industries.

🗓 Date: Thursday 26 June 2025
📍 Location:  Meeting Room Symmetrie 2, Hall 8.1.
🕓 Time: 12:00 – 14:00

Please Register here: https://tinyurl.com/pxbt737d