Australia opened the door to dangerous e-bikes. New safety standards could finally close it

ArtistGNDphotography/Getty For five years, dangerously overpowered e-bikes have been legally imported to Australia.

Many are effectively electric motorbikes, able to reach 50km/h – or even faster if modified.

Riders – often young men – can get hold of one without needing a motorbike license.

Injuries and deaths have soared .

Authorities have tried to police the issue on the streets.

But the real problem starts at the nation’s borders and e-bike retailers.

This month, the federal government announced plans for a national safety standard for e-bikes, with e-scooters to follow.

It’s an important, if overdue, step.

But the standard will only work if it clearly distinguishes safe, useful and popular pedal-assisted electric bicycles (pedelecs) from overpowered and easily-modified devices sold under the same label of “e-bike” or for “off road” use only.

How did we get here? Pedelecs – pedal-assisted e-bikes – are legal across Australia.

These e-bikes can have motors of up to 250 watts, with the electric assist capping out at 25km/h.

These e-bikes have become very popular as a way to get around cheaply and sustainably.

In 2021, a previous Australian government removed e-bikes from its definition of a road vehicle.

This led to an unintended consequence : overpowered e-bikes could be imported as long as they were used on “private property”.