Electric-assisted bicycles have enormous potential

Electric-assisted bicycles and other micromobility devices have enormous potential to decarbonise our cities

They can also improve urban amenity, reduce the burden of congestion, provide affordable transport for people of all ages and abilities, add incidental exercise into sedentary lives and put big smiles on our faces!

E-bikes are still overlooked in favour of electric cars, despite the much lower entry price and countless other benefits for the environment and public health. E-bikes use 1/40th the energy of electric vehicles, and only cost 15c to charge, using a regular power point.

We are working with all levels of government to develop sensible policy and legislations for e-bike batteries, amend road rules, and establish education programs across the state. We want e-mobility to reach its full potential while keeping riders and other road users safe.

February 2026 update:

The Australian Government will soon reinstate the European safety and quality standard, EN-15194 for imports, and the NSW Government is proposing to include EN-15194 in the e-bike definition for NSW and its associated regulations. This sets the maximum motor output of 250 watts and a 25km/h speed limit for pedal assistance, and ensures safe electrical systems and mechanical components. The main change for NSW bike riders is the reduction of the maximum legal power output of e-bikes from 500 to 250 watts, bringing the state's e-bike requirements back into line with all other Australian jurisdictions.

The 2024 Parliamentary Inquiry

Bicycle NSW engaged in detailed consultation with a range of industry, advocacy and council stakeholders to guide our advocacy for e-bikes. This work informed our detailed response to the Parliamentary Inquiry into the use of e-scooters, e-bikes and related mobility options in August 2024. We made 24 recommendations to NSW Government. The overarching message? The #bikeboom must not be put back in the box. Changes to the regulatory framework must aim to expand the industry and enable more riders, of all ages, abilities and socio-economic backgrounds, to use micromobility on the road to Net Zero. Read our submission here.

Bicycle NSW also made a submission in collaboration with WeRide to the National EV Strategy, advocating for the explicit inclusion of e-bike, e-cargo bikes and emerging forms of micromobility.

Fighting to maintain access for e-bikes on trains

In 2025, the NSW Government proposed to ban e-bikes and other micromobility devices from Sydney Metro and all heavy rail. Bicycle NSW responded with strong advocacy for a balanced and risk-based policy that minimises fire risk while allowing the majority of e-bike users to continue combining public transport with cycling.

After securing a period pubic consultation, Bicycle NSW collaborated with Committee for Sydney to develop four clear recommendations for an immediate pathway forward. These are set out in the our joint report, Why we can't hit the brakes for e-bikes on trains.

In the medium- and longer-term, we urge NSW Government to turbocharge holistic reforms to resolve fire risk alongside many of the issues that have held back the growth of micromobility – education, lack of infrastructure, piecemeal regulation and, above all, insufficient import standards.

Our Student Bicycle Education Program

Bicycle NSW has developed an online learning resource to provide students with a basic understanding of bicycle rules and safety.

The Student Bicycle Education Program:

promotes safe active travel for primary and high school students, and their families.
supports students to learn cycling laws - such as helmet use and how to ride in different road scenarios - while encouraging considerate riding.
is suitable for push bikes and e-bikes.
incorporates key safety messages from the Department of Education and Transport for NSW in order to reinforce learning in other parts of the curriculum.

The program is currently being trialled in four NSW councils: Northern Beaches Council, Randwick Council, City of Newcastle and Sutherland Shire Council.

If you are elsewhere and would like your school or council to get involved, then please contact us.

Does Bicycle NSW support registration for e-bikes?

No. Bicycle NSW doesn't see registration and licensing as a suitable option for legal e-bikes.

Pedal-assisted e-bikes that comply with the NSW regulations and the best-practice global standard EN15194 have a low-powered motor that cuts out after 25km/h. These e-bikes can be safely used on bicycle infrastructure, by people of all ages wearing a standard bicycle helmet. Registration, licensing and age restrictions are not required.

Calls for registration are focused on high-powered, often modified, electric bikes. But these devices should not be used on road and bike paths in the first place.

Illegal electric bikes can’t be registered because they require significant modifications to meet vehicle safety standards
Registration isn't a cost effective way to address the concerns over safety.
Registration plates would compromise the outcomes that we support within the broader e-mobility landscape.

We continue to actively work with all the necessary groups on this important issue. Our focus remains on regulating the import and sale of e-bikes to stem the flood of illegal devices. With work very much underway, we’ll be sure to keep our Members and Supporters updated on progress that we make.

The need for subsidies

It is essential that e-bikes are included in the in the discussion on vehicle subsidies. Subsiding e-bikes is much cheaper than subsidising EVs and a subsidised e-bike is affordable for far more people. This is a key ask for the Bicycle NSW 2025 federal election campaign.

There are many schemes around the world that should provide inspiration for state and federal governments. There are over 300 tax-incentive and purchase-premium schemes for across the globe offered by national, regional and local authorities. In late 2023, Tasmania launched e-bike subsidies. Adelaide has now followed.

We will continue to campaign for economic incentives for mode shift in NSW.