New 500W Laws in NSW
2023 Update to Current E-Bike Road Rules We Expect Other States in Australia to Soon Follow

As of 2023, New South Wales (NSW) has taken a great step forward in the e-bike world by increasing the legal continuous power limit allowed for electric bicycles from 250W to 500W.

How might this effect you and what does this actually mean?

Let’s dive in and find out.

What is the Impact of the 500W Power Law Surrounding E-Bikes in NSW Australia?

NSW’s 500W move is a departure from the European Union (EN15194) Standard it previously had which limited e-bike power to 250W.

First established in 2017, it’s fair to say EN15194 is outdated.

In the opinion of many, it’s become a hinderance to e-bike progression and adoption and has failed to anticipate and cater for the rapid pace of e-bike development and use we see today.

We commend NSW as it now sets itself apart as the first Australian state to increase allowed e-bike power to 500W.

Hopefully this sets a precedent for other Australian states to follow and the limits continue to rise.

Why?

Higher Powered Electric Bikes Will Allow More People to Get Up and Riding

NSW’s new law will benefit more people who want to enjoy the many benefits of using an e-bike in their everyday life.

Increased power on electric bikes enhances their effectiveness. It allows for unique and innovative bike designs.

More power accommodates for greater cargo carry and larger riders.

Greater Watts allows for more assistance up hills, particularly relevant for those that live in hilly areas like Sydney.

Expect greater range on a single charge with an electric bike with a larger motor.

Overall, higher powered electric bikes are much more useful to many more people.

Ultimately, it will get more people up and riding.

Power Output Laws Are Expected to Continue to Increase as Legislators Catch up to this Fast-Growing Industry

In the USA a maximum of 750W is allowed. In some more progressive countries this limit is much more or non-existent.

As Australian state legislators catch up to this fast-growing industry, we expect power restrictions to continue to increase.

Monitoring the wattage of electric bikes poses a significant challenge for law enforcement agencies. Determining the precise wattage of an e-bike is not straightforward without conducting specific tests, a practice that is currently not common in Australia.

When a bike is locked to 25km a biger 500w heavier bike is going to take off the same if not slower than a light 250w bike with a motor.

Making the laws tricky to monitor to say the least.

Did you Know it’s Legal to Ride with Multiple People on One Bike if it is Designed to Carry a Passenger?

In addition to the increased power limit, it’s now legally permissible to ride with a passenger if the e-bike if it is designed for such use.

How does this relate to motor size?

The weight of two people riding on the same bike benefits from a larger motor because it’s all about the power to weight ratio.

More weight (e.g. multiple riders) requires a larger motor for the bike for it to be ‘functional’. All things equal, a higher-powered electric bike for larger or multiple people is comparable in performance to an e-bike with a smaller motor with one or a smaller rider.

This is true for speed, acceleration, assistance up hills, battery range, and more.

Looking to ride with a mate? Perhaps the Amigo all purpose compact cargo e-bike could be for you.

It’s clear that there is growing demand for more powerful e-bikes throughout the world. More power to the motor makes more electric bikes practical and useful to more people and purposes.

At Vamos, our goal is to encourage people to leave the car at home and get more active.

Electric bikes should be versatile enough to carry items like groceries, additional passengers, and be fun too.

These types of e-bikes require a more powerful motor to be effective.

It’s more than just performance though.

More Powerful Electric Bikes are Suitable for More People

Conrad, the co-founder of Vamos Bikes, had this to say about the new legislation:

I firmly believe that NSW’s 500w e-bike legislation marks a major advancement for e-bikes in Australia. It’s a multifaceted win. It’ll result in more people being able to switch from cars to e-bikes. The environment will benefit. The rider will save money while boosting their physical fitness. This law is a catalyst for a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle for many more people in NSW.

How Can You Benefit for this Power Legislation about Maximum Wattage?

If you’re interested in learning more about 500W e-bikes and what they can do, you may be interested in the Papa Grande Pro – Three-Wheel E-Trike or the Amigo – All Purpose Compact Cargo E-Bike.

These models exemplify what the 500W law may mean for many.

A 3-Wheel Electric Trike, Incredibly Functional with its 500W Motor

The Papa Grade Pro (shown below) has found diverse uses.

Farmers are replacing their quad bikes. Pet owners who enjoy taking their dogs along. And individuals who prefer a trike over traditional mobility scooters.

Being heavier in its construction and offering a heap of carry capacity with its rear basket and front rack, a mere 250W engine often falls short.

The Amigo All Purpose Compact Cargo Bike

Amigo, is an all-purpose compact cargo bike that can do it all.

It’s earned the affectionate moniker “your friend with benefits”. With its versatile design, it includes a detachable seat for an additional rider and a flexible basket that can be mounted either at the front or back of the bike.

Amigo is designed to comfortably take over 160kgs.

Like the Papa Grande Pro, with 500W of motor assistance helping spur you along your journey, Amigo performs well even when fully loaded. On 250W you would struggle to keep moving.

500W Law in NSW Sparks Potential for Sustainable Travel in Australia

NSW’s updated e-bike law is sparking hope for similar reforms in other Australian states.

These changes could lead to more sustainable travel, cost savings amid rising cost of living pressures, and encourage more people to get more active.

Hed over to the Vamos Bikes shop if you’d like to learn more about 500W electric bikes available. They’re also available from many Vamos Bikes retailers around Australia.

This was not a paid promotion. We did not pay Chris for this video review in any way shape or form. He paid full price for the bike.

Chris purchased El Hefe after lengthy search for something fun with good bang-for-buck 😊. He noted that he found it hard to find any video reviews on the bike. So, he made one for us to share with the community!

Watch the full 11+ minute video to get a good idea as to whether this is the right e-bike for you. It will also give you a good gauge of the quality and features of our other bikes. Chris includes a comprehensive review and close-up in-depth footage of all core components.

Thanks Chris!! You are a true legend 🤙

Assembling any of our bikes takes just minutes. Something to cut the cable ties that secure the bike within its packaging is all you’ll need. No experience required. Watch how quick and easy it is.

What is the law? 

In Australia, the laws regarding e-bikes are constantly changing. However, generally speaking, they are becoming more relaxed. Increasingly higher wattage bikes are being allowed. NSW recently changed its laws to allow 500w e-bikes on public roads without registration or license. Similarly, governments across Australia are increasingly coming to understand the many benefits of e-bikes and we suspect will likely favor them ongoing because of this. Electric bikes help stem climate issues, ease public transport reliance, lower traffic congestion, and also help people get more active and get more exercise.

Australia to save time and effort effectively copied the exact same laws in Europe in regard to electric bikes. It is illegal to ride an electric bicycle on the road or on bike paths with a stated power output of more than a certain wattage. It is incredibly hard to monitor and you may see e-bikes on the road with up to 2000w motors.

The exact laws vary from state to state and we suggest checking what the current laws are for your state.

Generally speaking, so long as the throttle is disabled and the bike is limited to a maximum top speed of 25km/h it typically complies with most Australian road rules. All Vamos Bikes can be limited to any speed you desire. You can change this setting in a few clicks and less the 30 seconds at any time. For private property use, there are no restrictions. this means that riders have the benefit of being able to toggle between the options and settings that are most appropriate for them and their intended use(s).

Do I need a driving license or registration? 

If you’re riding an e-bike that abides by the laws described above (EN15194) you are able to ride an electric bike without a driving license. If the bike is overpowered according to the laws of your state or territory then technically it will need to be registered as it is classified as a road vehicle and you would require a driving license if you are intending to ride it on public roads.

Are there any other laws I need to be aware of?

Helmets are compulsory

A law that is enforced around Australia is that it is compulsory to wear a helmet. If caught riding without a helmet you may receive a fine. If the police officer is also having a really bad day he/she may also fine you for riding on the footpath. Shared pathways and cycleways are not classed as ‘footpaths’. In most states and territories anyone over the age of 16 can’t ride a pushbike on a footpath that is not specified as a shared pathway for both pedestrians and cyclists.

Lights are required at night

You also must have a rear and front light when riding at night. Failure to have a functioning light at night, whilst incredibly dangerous and not recommended, can also result in a fine. All Vamos Bikes come complete with integrated front and rear lights so you’re always ready to ride night or day. In most states and territories ‘night’ is classed as when the street lights are turned on.

A very common question we get asked is do electric bikes benefit the environment? It seems now that we are all becoming aware that we have to take more care for the  world we live in and doing this we have to find better lifestyle alternatives. Can an electric bike be one of these alternatives that actually benefit the world and reduce our carbon footprint? 

It can be argued that ebikes use electricity to charge its battery but this electricity is powered by coal thus making it not so appealing. Our batteries at Vamos bikes uses $0.12 to fully charge a battery so though this may have been charged by coal powered electricity the amount used is so minor it is next to nothing. 

Secondly, what kind of an environmental footprint is left from a no longer functioning electric bike battery? Is this just as bad as the plastic that is also rotting our earth? A report made in China regarding lead acid type batteries found that even with recycling, each lead acid battery produced emitted about 420 milligrams of harmful lead. In stating this, Vamos ebikes use Samsung li-lon batteries which do not emit lead. We are yet to have an issue with any of our batteries so far and are happy to help you find the right places to recycle them if you need our help. 

Furthermore a study by the European Cyclist Federation came to the conclusion that the overall carbon footprint of ebikes is nearly identical to traditional bikes as a cyclists produces 21g of C02 per kilometer traveled whereas ebike users produce about 22g of C02 per kilometer (compared with 101g by bus and 271g by passenger car.)  “One reason the numbers between ebikes and traditional bikes is so close that an ebike user expends less energy while riding than a traditional bike rider, and so they will theoretically be consuming fewer carbs, which reduces their carbon footprint.” 

So it seems obvious that ebikes are no doubt beneficial to caring for the world!  

For more info check out https://electricbikereview.com/forum/threads/the-environmental-cost-of-electric-bikes-vs-cars-and-motorcycles.22740/

Aren’t e-bikes just for fat/lazy/old people?

It is a common misconception that you ride an electric bike because you have something that physically disadvantages from riding a normal push bike, but this is not the case! We all know that one hill that you wouldn’t dream of trying to ride our push bike up. For many, these hills are what stops their commute from being a bike ride and makes them a car or public transport ride. A study of ebike users in North America has found that people ride their ebike much more often, 25% of ebike of respondents said they used to ride a regular bike once a week, but after buying an ebike, 49% became daily riders. Stating that your ebike will make you embrace the outdoors more and leave that car at home and is  immensely beneficial to your mental health!

Essentially, electric bikes give you the freedom to travel by bike without the shame of walking up the steep hills. Not to mention all the time and effort saved from trying to find a park, paying for petrol, and owning a driving license. In conclusion, those fat/lazy/old people are smart/environmentally friendly/forward thinkers and are onto a better way of traveling!

Using an Electric bike means that I lose my daily exercise

We know many peoples commute to work is their primary daily exercise and using an electric bike would lessen the fitness element to it. This is completely understandable and running or riding a pushbike is always going to be healthier for you than riding an electric bike. The thing ebikes do achieve it that it allow you to swap your car rides with bike rides making you exercise more than if you were to just own a push bike. According to Norwegian and Dutch studies, you could get fitter than you would on a regular bike because e-bikes encourage you to go further than you might otherwise. “E-bikes give people the confidence to explore more, rather than be exhausted after 20 minutes and go home.” says Dave Hull, owner of major English bike retailer North Pennies Electric bikes. “Before you know it, you’ve done 50 miles and been out for hours.”

Electric bikes are too expensive

You’re right here. Electric bikes are damn expensive! (Prepare for shameless plug)..here at Vamos Bikes we have made it our mission to make quality electric bikes affordable so you don’t have to have serious savings in the bank to be able to afford one. We sell bikes starting from below a $1000 allowing everyone the ability to try out this awesome new transport method!