Leva

LEVA-EU info-meetings on revision type approval

1260 days ago

3 minutes

LEVA-EU has argued long and hard for a revision of Directive 168/2013, which regulates type-approval for vehicles with two or more wheels. The European Commission has now finally initiated such a review. It is particularly important that as many LEV companies as possible participate in this review. To help them in this, LEVA-EU organizes info-meetings.

From its start, LEVA-EU has argued long and hard for a review of Directive 168/2013. The professional organisation has extensively argued how the market potential of light electric vehicles (LEVs) covered by that type approval is being thwarted.

To date, electric bicycles with pedal assistance up to 250W and 25 km / h, vehicles without a saddle, self-balancing vehicles and vehicles with a seat below a certain minimum height are excluded from Regulation 168/2013. In addition, electric bicycles 250W – 25 km / h have been given the status of a conventional bicycle in the traffic code of all member states. As a result, this category has been growing and thriving for years.

LEVs that have remained in the Regulation, on the other hand, have a particularly difficult time. Speed ​​pedelecs, for example, have great difficulties to really develop because in most cases they are categorized as classic mopeds. However, the terms of use for mopeds are unsuitable for speed pedelecs. And so, massive uptake of speed pedelecs is not forthcoming. In L1e-A, powered cycles, the situation is even worse. In this category for electric bicycles 25 km / h with more than 250W, virtually no type approvals have been carried out since 2013.

After all this time, LEVA-EU’s complaints have finally been heard. The European Commission has asked TRL, a research centre specialized in mobility, to investigate the position of LEVs in the type approval and their position in national traffic codes. All LEVs are scrutinized, i.e. electric scooters, self-balancing vehicles, electric bicycles in and outside the type approval, electric cargo bicycles, etc.

TRL has started a broad survey of the sector through an online questionnaire that can be completed until October 30th. However, the current legal framework is extremely complex and confusing. It is important that LEV companies have a good understanding of that framework, in order to provide an informed and relevant response to the survey.

LEVA-EU wants to help companies with this by means of a number of information meetings. These meetings are intended to provide a clear picture of the current legal framework. In addition, LEVA-EU will explain the opportunities and risks of the ongoing review.

The online information meetings will start on October 13 with a first session reserved for LEVA-EU members. Then follow open meetings according to vehicle type:

– Electric bicycles and speed pedelecs
– Electric cargo bikes
– PLEVs such as electric scooters and self-balancing vehicles
– Three and four-wheel electric vehicles with pedaling function for passenger transport

Each meeting will last 1 hour with information provided in the first half hour and questions answered in the second half hour. To participate in the meeting, interested parties should send an email to daan@leva-eu.com stating which meeting (s) they wish to attend. They will receive a personal invitation to the meeting.

LEVA-EU Information Meetings Revision LEV Type Approval

– Tuesday October 13, 10.30 GMT + 2: only for LEVA-EU members
– Tuesday October 13, 14:00 GMT + 2: electric bikes and speed pedelecs
– Wednesday October 14, 10.30 GMT + 2: PLeVS (e-scooters, self-balancing vehicles, …)
– Wednesday October 14, 14:00 GMT + 2: electric cargo bikes
– Thursday October 15, 10.30 GMT + 2: 3 & 4-wheel electric vehicles with pedalling function for passenger transport

Photo by André Ravazzi on Unsplash

Annick Roetynck

Annick is the Manager of LEVA-EU, with decades of experience in two-wheeled and light electric mobility.

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