Our position on....

Below You will find our position on a number of subjects. All have in common that they recognize and/or promote the speedpedelec.

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Sustainable mobility

The speedpedelec is one of the few real solutions for sustainable mobility

Sustainable in the sense of having little impact on the environment compared to other vehicles whether equipped with fossil fuel engines or otherwise.

1. During production, it contributes to the reduction of raw material consumption and CO2 emissions, simply because in practice they weigh a maximum of 40 Kg and also use humans as a power source.

2. During use, it contributes to the reduction of:

a. The amount and congestion of traffic and the parking problem, especially in urban areas, simply because they take up less space due to their minimal dimensions.

b. Energy consumption: the speedpedelec requires around 20 Wh of electrical energy per Km travelled.

c. CO2 (greenhouse gasses) and particulate matter emissions like tyres.

d. Noise emissions. For example, a rear-wheeled motor usually produces less than 40 dB and mid-drive motors slightly more. The total tyre surface of a speedpedelec is about 20 Cm2 while that of a car is at least 800.

3. During use it contributes to human health by requiring physical exertion. It gets people out of their seats.

Lifespan

The speedpedelec must have a minimum lifespan of 10 years or 50,000 Km, after which it is at least 90% recyclable

Although we are in favour of evolution, especially with regard to the battery of the bicycle, manufacturers must design their speedpedelec (components) in such a way that they last at least 10 years. So-called "build in obsolescence" of components including software with a shorter period of time is socially unacceptable. We make an exception for wear parts such as brake pads and tyres. The 50,000 Km is based on 50 Km round trip x 100 trips per year x 10 years.

Modularity

The speedpedelec must be built in such a way that components can be replaced, upgraded or added on easily

The advantage of the modular building of speedpedelecs is that a single component can be exchanged for a new or improved one while keeping the rest of the bike the same. Thus with minimal components, materials and costs the speedpedelec can keep on functioning its complete lifespan. The modular build even takes care of an easy re-use or recycling.

Modularity is also the answer in providing cost efficient customization. It can maximise the fit according to the customer. This way the cyclist can configure a highly "personal" bike while 99% of the components are off the shelve.

This "personal" bike is the most functional one which can be easily re-customized for the next user while being "The only bicycle You will ever need" for both.

Modularity also downsizes the need for specialistic mechanics, as replacing malfunctioning components would become easier. Finding qualified mechanics is becoming a challenge in the industry.

No motor vehicle

The speedpedelec is legally not a motor vehicle

The speedpedelec is a bicycle with electric pedal assistance up to a maximum of 45 Km/H and is therefore not a motor vehicle.

We support LEVA-EU's opinion that there should be a Light Electric Vehicle (LEV) dedicated legal framework of which the speedpedelec is a part.

With this bike it is easy to cycle slower than the maximum, (for instance 30 Km/H which is becoming common in big European cities, or 25 Km/H which means that it does not distinguish itself from the e-bike limited to 25 Km/H.

Also considering the weight of the speedpedelec itself, it belongs to the bicycle category and not to motor vehicles that weigh from 3x to 1,000x as much.

Choice of path

The cyclist must legally have a choice of path

The cyclist should have a right to choose between using the cycle path, the moped/cycle path or the roadway depending on his need for speed and his right to optimal safety and comfortability.

When doing so, the cyclist must adjust his maximum speed to the legal rules and circumstances. This allows the cyclist to decide for himself which option is the safest for him/her.

We urge to take into consideration that the speedpedelec sometimes cannot even reach 45 Km/H for

1. technical reasons (lack of motor power) or

2. due to weather conditions or

3. infrastructural reasons (speedbumps, sharp corners, etc.) or

4. due to traffic density or

5. is simply in no hurry.

Right of path

The speedpedelec must have a right of path

1. The speedpedelec should always have the legal right of using the Dutch "Doorfietsroutes" regardless of their current and local designation. This can be bicycle path or bicycle/moped path.

2. The speedpedelec should always have the legal right of using the Belgian "jaagpaden" regardless of their current and local designation.

3. The speedpedelec should always have the legal right of using the German cyclepaths.

Above of course taking into account the legal speed limits.

Range

The speedpedelec should also be available with a range of 250 km

There must be a so called long range version of the speedpedelec available with a total battery capacity of 5,000 Wh.

This bicycle must therefore be equipped with one or more, always connected (and not switched), batteries that can provide maximum pedal assistance during 250 Km of practical use in the most adverse conditions. For instance in ice-cold weather with a headwind and lots of stop and go.

We calculate 5,000 Wh based on a maximum consumption of 20 Wh per Km * 250 Km = 5,000 Wh.

We are aware that under the current (2025) state of battery technology this battery would:

1. have a volume of 18 Liters and

2. weigh almost 30 Kg and

3. cost about € 7,200 and

4. have a charging time of 24 hours,

which emphasizes the need for battery evolution.

If fast-charging becomes a reality (2,000 Wh taking only 30 minutes charging time) it will make the 5,000 Wh battery superfluous as both the cyclist and the battery could be recharged in the same time. Humans need recharging as well.

Price

The average price on the speedpedelec market is maximized at 1.5x that of the e-bike market

In order to remain affordable and thus becoming a common good the average price of the speedpedelec cannot rise unlimited. It would entice financial engineering like leasing to be a necessity for using one.

Currently (2025) the average speedpedelec price (€ 7,500) is about 3x that of the average e-bike (€ 2,500) with excesses to 8x. Average price as calculated using the available number of models and versions at a time, not regarding the entire fleet.

We take into account that a lot of models are based on their e-bike relative from the same manufacturer which means that the cost of overhead can be distributed over more products as the e-bike market is still 1,000x bigger.

We know that a speedpedelec causes unique costs like type approval and mandatory equipment.

Should a manufacturer only produce speedpedelecs it can justify exceeding the 1.5 ratio towards 2.0x the ratio.

E-bike tuning

"E-bike tuning" should be prohibited, made technically impossible and actively be enforced

Tuning is altering or adding on soft- and hardware to an e-bike, by someone other than the manufacturer, with the sole purpose of increasing its speed above the, legal, designed and structural limit of 25 Km/H.

E-bike tuning negatively affects the speedpedelec market by dissolving it through illegal, cheaper and dangerous bicycles causing unnecessary risks to its cyclists while tainting the public image on bicycles with speeds beyond 25 Km/H.

The bicycle industry has to make tuning technically impossible through software/hardware adjustments. We request more efforts, beyond "published intentions", from manufacturers to counter tuning while upholding modularity. Also dealers should unanimously deny tuning.

Existing laws and regulations should be enforced by the government, prohibiting the production, trade (including selling via websites offering 2nd-hand commodities), installing and owning of e-bike booster kits.

In 2024 a German expert calculated that from the total number of 2,1 Million newly sold e-bikes in Germany in 2023, 15% are tuned being 315,000 e-bikes! From the total German fleet of e-bikes by the end of 2023, being 11 Million, we assume that 10%, being 1.1 Million tuned e-bikes are cycling around. We estimate that under ideal conditions at least half of these cyclists would have bought a speedpedelec.

Cycling skills

Governments should make training cycling skills mandatory

Since the speedpedelec is a balancing instrument, the cyclist must be trained practically in handling it. Also consider emergency braking and overtaking. The higher speeds require more attention, also from other road users.

It could lead to less "one-vehicle" accidents like slipping on leaves or miscalculating curves.

Like motorcyccles

The implementation can be done by an institute such as the CBR, independent of the bicycle industry. This driving skills training must be a mandatory part of a speedpedelec driver's license and must always be enjoyed, even if there are already other driving licenses of motor vehicles in the possession of the cyclist. Although this may have an inhibiting effect on the promotion of the speedpedelec, in our opinion road safety and the reduction of the number of road and cyclepath casualties prevail.

Governmental subsidies

Governments should financially support cyclists through mileage allowances

The speedpedelecs' price is out of control compared to that of e-bikes. See our position on price. The private buyer in particular is the victim of this and thereby society as a whole, given the missed opportunities for sustainable mobility.

Governments could compensate cyclists wanting to own a speedpedelec by granting them subsidies. The choice is then subsidizing the purchase and/or the usage.

In our opinion, a mileage allowance that is provided to the cyclists themselves seems to be the most effective because it directly stimulates the use of the speedpedelec while providing purchase subsidies results in a market distortion, also for the 2nd hand market.

In addition, an increasing share of buyers are leasing companies, actually owning the speedpedelecs. In Belgium in 2023 50% of new sales were to lease co's. It will not be the intention to stimulate these leasing companies in their business model.

Promotion

Governments must provide information about the existence of the speedpedelec thus promoting it

The main reason for being unknown to most people is simply its small number of registrations. Besides they officially exist in the EU since 2004 (type approval of the Swiss Swissbee) followed by a slow "breakthrough" in 2010.

Add to this the nuisance caused by illegally tuned 45 Km/H e-bikes, for example the "fatbikes" in The Netherlands, You can guess that the speedpedelec has some catching up to do.

It cannot be expected from manufacturers or lobbyists to "develop" the speedpedelec landscape. In view of its positive impact on sustainability the governments need to step in:

1. The public must be informed of the existence of the speedpedelec. In general, current speedpedelec cyclists feel misunderstood and not appreciated by the society despite being forerunners. This is partly due to being legally banned from cyclepaths and forced to cycle between cars. Mind You, the 2023 EU's "European Declaration on Cycling" mentions the speedpedelec 3 times!

2. If the government recognizes that the speedpedelec can be a partial solution towards sustainable mobility, it should also mention this in its communications. This is against the marketing violence of, for example, the car industry, with budgets a 1,000 times higher than the bicycle industry's.