Contents

 1 History
 2 Classes of e-bikes
o 2.1 E-bikes with pedal-assist only
 2.1.1 Pedelecs
 2.1.2 S-Pedelecs
o 2.2 E-bikes with power-on-demand and pedal-assist
o 2.3 E-bikes with power-on-demand only
 3 Legal status
o 3.1 Australia
o 3.2 Canada
o 3.3 China
o 3.4 European Union
o 3.5 Israel
o 3.6 New Zealand
o 3.7 Norway
o 3.8 United Kingdom
o 3.9 United States
 4 Market penetration
o 4.1 Market predictions
 5 Technical
o 5.1 Motors and drivetrains
o 5.2 Batteries
o 5.3 Controllers
 6 Design variations
 7 Health benefits
 8 Environmental effects
 9 Road traffic safety
 10 Experience by country
o 10.1 China
o 10.2 Germany
o 10.3 Japan
o 10.4 Netherlands
o 10.5 United States
 12 References

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Electric bicycle
.

A mountain bike styled e-bike: a Cyclotricity Stealth

A moped-style e-bike: an A2B Ultramotor

An electric bicycle, also known as an e-bike, is a bicycle with an integrated

electric motor which can be used for propulsion. There are a great variety of
different types of e-bikes available worldwide, from e-bikes that only have a small
motor to assist the rider's pedal-power (i.e. pedelecs) to somewhat more powerful
e-bikes which tend closer to moped-style functionality: all however retain the
ability to be pedalled by the rider and are therefore not electric motorcycles. E-
bikes use rechargeable batteries and the lighter varieties can travel up to
25 to 32 km/h (16 to 20 mph), depending on the laws of the country in which they
are sold, while the more high-powered varieties can often do in excess of 45 km/h
(28 mph). In some markets, such as Germany, they are gaining in popularity and
taking some market share away from conventional bicycles,[1] while in others, such
as China, they are replacing fossil fuel-powered mopeds and small
motorcycles.[2][3]

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Depending on local laws, many e-bikes (e.g. pedelecs) are legally classified as
bicycles rather than mopeds or motorcycles, so they are not subject to the more
stringent laws regarding their certification and operation, unlike the more powerful
two-wheelers which are often classed as electric motorcycles. E-bikes can also be
defined separately and treated as a specific vehicle type in many areas of legal
jurisdiction.

E-bikes are the electric motor-powered versions of motorized bicycles which have
been around since the late 19th century.

History
In the 1890s, electric bicycles were documented within various U.S. patents. For
example, on 31 December 1895, Ogden Bolton Jr. was granted U.S. Patent
552,271 for a battery-powered bicycle with “6-pole brush-and-commutator direct
current (DC) hub motor mounted in the rear wheel.” There were no gears and the
motor could draw up to 100 amperes (A) from a 10-volt battery.[4]

Two years later, in 1897, Hosea W. Libbey of Boston invented an electric bicycle
(U.S. Patent 596,272) that was propelled by a “double electric motor.” The motor
was designed within the hub of the crankset axle.[5] This model was later re-
invented and imitated in the late 1990s by Giant Lafree e-bikes.

A bike equipped with an after market electric hub motor conversion kit, with the
battery pack placed on the rear carrier rack

By 1898 a rear wheel drive electric bicycle, which used a driving belt along the
outside edge of the wheel was patented by Mathew J. Steffens. Also, the 1899 U.S.
Patent 627,066 by John Schnepf depicted a rear wheel friction “roller-wheel” style
drive electric bicycle.[6] Schnepf's invention was later re-examined and expanded in
1969 by G.A. Wood Jr. with his U.S. Patent 3,431,994. Wood’s device used 4
fractional horsepower motors; connected through a series of gears.[7]

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Torque sensors and power controls were developed in the late 1990s. For example,
Takada Yutky of Japan filed a patent in 1997 for such a device. In 1992 Vector
Services Limited offered and sold an e-bike dubbed Zike.[8] The bicycle included
Nickel-cadmium batteries that were built into a frame member and included an
850 g permanent-magnet motor. Despite the Zike, in 1992 hardly any commercial
e-bikes were available.

Production grew from 1993 to 2004 by an estimated 35%. By contrast, according

to Gardner, in 1995 regular bicycle production decreased from its peak 107 million
units.

Some of the less expensive e-bikes used bulky lead acid batteries, whereas newer
models generally used NiMH, NiCd and/or Li-ion batteries which offered lighter,
denser capacity batteries. Performance varied; however, in general there was an
increase in range and speed.

BLDC Bicycle Hub Motor

By 2001 the terms e-bike, power bike, "pedelec", pedal-assisted, and power-
assisted bicycle were commonly used to refer to e-bikes. The terms "electric
motorbike" or "e-motorbike" refer to more powerful models that attain up to
80 km/h (50 mph).

In a parallel hybrid motorized bicycle, such as the aforementioned 1897 invention

by Hosea W. Libbey, human and motor inputs are mechanically coupled either in
the bottom bracket, the rear or the front wheel, whereas in a (mechanical) series
hybrid cycle, the human and motor inputs are coupled through differential gearing.
In an (electronic) series hybrid cycle, human power is converted into electricity
and is fed directly into the motor and mostly additional electricity is supplied from
a battery.

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By 2007, e-bikes were thought to make up 10 to 20 percent of all two-wheeled
vehicles on the streets of many major cities.[9] A typical unit requires 8 hours to
charge the battery, which provides the range of 25 to 30 miles (40 to 48 km),[9] at
the speed of around 20 km/h.[10]

Classes of e-bikes

Different types of e-bikes

E-bikes are classed according to the power that their electric motor can deliver and
the control system, i.e. when and how the power from the motor is applied. Also
the classification of e-bikes is complicated as much of the definition is due to legal
reasons of what constitutes a bicycle and what constitutes a moped or motorcycle:
as such the classification of these e-bikes varies greatly across countries and local
jurisdictions.

Despite these legal complications, the classification of e-bikes is mainly decided

by whether the e-bike's motor assists the rider using a pedal-assist system or by a
power-on-demand one. Definitions of these are as follows:

 With pedal-assist the electric motor is regulated by pedalling. The pedal-

assist augments the efforts of the rider when they are pedalling. These e-
bikes – called pedelecs – have a sensor to detect the pedalling speed, the
pedalling force, or both. Brake activation is sometimes sensed to disable the
motor as well.
 With power-on-demand the motor is activated by a throttle, usually
handlebar-mounted just like on most motorcycles or scooters.

Therefore, very broadly, e-bikes can be classed as:

 E-bikes with pedal-assist only. These are either pedelecs (legally classed as
bicycles) or S-Pedelecs (often legally classed as mopeds) :

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 o Pedelecs : Have pedal-assist only; motor assists only up to a decent
but not excessive speed (usually 25 km/h) ; motor power up to 250
Watts. Pedelecs are often legally classed as bicycles.
o S-Pedelecs : Have pedal-assist only; motor power can be greater than
250 Watts; can attain a higher speed (e.g. 45 km/h) before motor stops
assisting. Legally classed as a moped or motorcycle not a bicycle.
 E-bikes with power-on-demand and pedal-assist.
 E-bikes with power-on-demand only. These often have more powerful
motors than pedelecs but not always. The more powerful of these are legally
classed as mopeds or motorcycles.

E-bikes with pedal-assist only

E-bikes with pedal-assist only are usually called pedelecs but can be broadly
classified into pedelecs proper and the more powerful S-Pedelecs.

Pedelecs

Main article: Pedelec

The term "pedelec" (from pedal electric cycle) refers to an e-bike where the pedal-
assist electric drive system is limited to a decent but not excessive top speed, and
where its motor is relatively low-powered. Pedelecs are legally classed as bicycles
rather than low-powered motorcycles or mopeds.

The most influential definition which distinguishes which e-bikes are pedelecs and
which are not, comes from the EU. From the EU directive (EN15194 standard) for
motor vehicles, a bicycle is considered a pedelec if:

1. the pedal-assist, i.e. the motorised assistance that only engages when the
rider is pedalling, cuts out once 25 km/h is reached, and
2. when the motor produces maximum continuous rated power of not more
than 250 watts (n.b. the motor can produce more power for short periods,
such as when the rider is struggling to get up a steep hill).

An e-bike conforming to these conditions is considered to be a pedelec in the EU

and is legally classed as a bicycle. The EN15194 standard is valid across the whole
of the EU and has also been adopted by some non-EU European nations and also
some jurisdictions outside of Europe (such as the state of Victoria in Australia).[11]

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Pedelecs are much like conventional bicycles in use and function — the electric
motor only provides assistance, most notably when the rider would otherwise
struggle against a headwind or be going uphill. Pedelecs are therefore especially
useful for people living in hilly areas where riding a bike would prove too
strenuous for many to consider taking up cycling as a daily means of transport.
They are also useful when it would be helpful for the riders who more generally
need some assistance, e.g. for elderly people.

S-Pedelecs

More powerful pedelecs which are not legally classed as bicycles are dubbed S-
Pedelecs (short for Schnell-Pedelecs, i.e. Speedy-Pedelecs) in Germany. These
have a motor more powerful than 250 watts and less limited, or unlimited, pedal-
assist, i.e. the motor does not stop assisting the rider once 25 km/h has been
reached. S-Pedelec class e-bikes are therefore usually classified as mopeds or
motorcycles rather than as bicycles and therefore may (depending on the
jurisdiction) need to be registered and insured, the rider may need some sort of
driver's license (either car or motorcycle) and motorcycle helmets may have to be
worn.[12]

E-bikes with power-on-demand and pedal-assist

Some e-bikes combine both pedal-assist sensors as well as a throttle. An example

of these is the eZee Torq.[13]

E-bikes with power-on-demand only

Some e-bikes have an electric motor that operates on a power-on-demand basis

only. In this case, the electric motor is engaged and operated manually using a
throttle, which is usually on the handgrip just like the ones on a motorbike or
scooter. These sorts of e-bikes often, but not always, have more powerful motors
than pedelecs do.

With power-on-demand only e-bikes the rider can:

1. ride by pedal power alone, i.e. fully human-powered.

2. ride by electric motor alone by operating the throttle manually.
3. ride using both together at the same time.

Please note that some power-on-demand only e-bikes can hardly be confused with,
let alone categorised as, bicycles. For example, the Noped is a term used by the

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Ministry of Transportation of Ontario for e-bikes which do not have pedals or in
which the pedals have been removed from their motorised bicycle. These are better
categorised as electric mopeds or electric motorcycles.

Legal status
Main article: Electric bicycle laws

Australia

In Australia the e-bike is defined by the Australian Vehicle Standards as a bicycle

that has an auxiliary motor with a maximum power output not exceeding 200 W
without consideration for speed limits or pedal sensors.[14] Each state is responsible
for deciding how to treat such a vehicle and currently all states agree that such a
vehicle does not require licensing or registration. Various groups are lobbying for
an increase in this low limit to encourage more widespread use of e-bikes to assist
in mobility, health benefits and to reduce congestion, pollution and road danger.
Some states have their own rules such as no riding under electric power on bike
paths and through built up areas so riders should view the state laws regarding their
use. There is no licence and no registration required for e-bike usage.

Since 30 May 2012, Australia has an additional new e-bike category using the
European Union model of a pedelec as per the CE EN15194 standard. This means
the e-bike can have a motor of 250W of continuous rated power which can only be
activated by pedalling (if above 6 km/h) and must cut out over 25 km/h - if so it is
classed as a normal bicycle. The state of Victoria is the first to amend their local
road rules to accommodate this new standard which came into effect on the 18th of
September 2012.[15]

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Technical
Motors and drivetrains

There are many possible types of electric motorized bicycles with several
technologies available, varying in cost and complexity; direct-drive and geared
motor units are both used. An electric power-assist system may be added to almost
any pedal cycle using chain drive, belt drive, hub motors or friction drive. BLDC
hub motors are a common modern design with the motor built into the wheel hub
itself and the stator fixed solidly to the axle and the magnets attached to and
rotating with the wheel. The bicycle wheel hub is the motor. The power levels of
motors used are influenced by available legal categories and are often, but not
always limited to under 750 watts.

Batteries

E-bikes use rechargeable batteries, electric motors and some form of control.
Battery systems in use include sealed lead-acid (SLA), nickel-cadmium (NiCad),
nickel-metal hydride (NiMH), llithium-ion polymer (Li-ion), and lithium-iron
phosphate (LiFePO4). Batteries vary according to the voltage, total charge capacity
(amp hours), weight, the number of charging cycles before performance degrades,
and ability to handle over-voltage charging conditions. The energy costs of
operating e-bikes are small, but there can be considerable battery replacement
costs.

Range is a key consideration with e-bikes, and is affected by factors such as motor
efficiency, battery capacity, efficiency of the driving electronics, aerodynamics,
hills and weight of the bike and rider.[32] The range of an e-bike is usually stated as
somewhere between 7 km (uphill on electric power only) to 70 km (minimum
assistance) and is highly dependent on whether or not the bike is tested on flat
roads or hills.[33] Some manufacturers, such as the Canadian BionX or American
E+ (manufactured by Electric Motion Systems), have the option of using
regenerative braking, the motor acts as a generator to slow the bike down prior to
the brake pads engaging.[34] This is useful for extending the range and the life of
brake pads and wheel rims. There are also experiments using fuel cells. e.g. the
PHB. Some experiments have also been undertaken with super capacitors to
supplement or replace batteries for cars and some SUVS. E-bikes developed in
Switzerland in the late 1980s for the Tour de Sol solar vehicle race came with solar
charging stations but these were later fixed on roofs and connected so as to feed

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into the electric mains.[35] The bicycles were then charged from the mains, as is
common today.

Controllers

There are two distinct types of controllers designed to match either a brushed
motor or brushless motor. Brushless motors are becoming more common as the
cost of controllers continues to decrease. (See the page on DC motors which covers
the differences between these two types.)

Controllers for brushless motors: E-bikes require high initial torque and therefore
models that use brushless motors typically have Hall sensor commutation for speed
measurement. An electronic controller provides assistance as a function of the
sensor inputs, the vehicle speed and the required force. The controllers generally
provide potentiometer-adjustable motor speed, closed-loop speed control for
precise speed regulation, protection logic for over-voltage, over-current and
thermal protection. The controller uses pulse width modulation to regulate the
power to the motor. Sometimes support is provided for regenerative braking but
infrequent braking and the low mass of bicycles limits recovered energy. An
implementation is described in an application note for a 200 W, 24 V Brushless
DC (BLDC) motor.[36]

Controllers for brushed motors: Brushed motors are also used in e-bikes but are
becoming less common due to their intrinsic lower efficiency. Controllers for
brushed motors however are much simpler and cheaper due to the fact they don't
require hall sensor feedback and are typically designed to be open-loop controllers.

Design variations
Not all e-bikes take the form of conventional push-bikes with an incorporated
motor, such as the Cytronex bicycles which use a small battery disguised as a
water bottle.[37][38] Some are designed to take the appearance of low capacity
motorcycles, but smaller in size and consisting of an electric motor rather than a
petrol engine. For example the Sakura e-bike incorporates a 200 W motor found on
standard e-bikes, but also includes plastic cladding, front and rear lights, and a
speedometer. It is styled as a modern moped, and is often mistaken for one.[citation
needed]

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Electric folding bike

An Electric Pusher Trailer is an e-bike design which incorporates a motor and

battery into a trailer that pushes any bicycle. One such trailer is the two-wheeled
Ridekick.[39]

Other, rarer designs include that of a 'chopper' styled e-bike, which are designed as
more of a 'fun' or 'novelty' e-bike than as a purposeful mobility aid or mode of
transport.

Electric cargo bikes allow the rider to carry large, heavy items which would be
difficult to transport without electric power supplementing the human power
input.[40]

Various designs (including those mentioned above) are designed to fit inside most
area laws, and the ones that contain pedals can be used on roads in the United
Kingdom, among other countries.

Folding e-bikes are also available.[41]

Electric self-balancing unicycles have also been built.[42]

Diagram illustrating a standard bicycle converted to an e-bike using a retail

conversion kit.

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Health benefits
E-bikes can be a useful part of cardiac rehabilitation programmes, since health
professionals will often recommend a stationary bike be used in the early stages of
these. Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation programmes can reduce deaths in
people with coronary heart disease by around 27%;[43] and a patient may feel safer
progressing from stationary bikes to e-bikes.[44] They require less cardiac exertion
for those who have experienced heart problems.[45]

Environmental effects
E-bikes are zero-emissions vehicles, as they emit no combustion by-products.
However, the environmental effects of electricity generation and power
distribution and of manufacturing and disposing of (limited life) high storage
density batteries must be taken into account. Even with these issues considered, e-
bikes will have significantly lower environmental impact than conventional
automobiles, and are generally seen as environmentally desirable in an urban
environment.

The environmental effects involved in recharging the batteries can of course be

minimised. The small size of the battery pack on an e-bike, relative to the larger
pack used in an electric car, makes them very good candidates for charging via
solar power or other renewable energy resources. Sanyo capitalized on this benefit
when it set up "solar parking lots," in which e-bike riders can charge their vehicles
while parked under photovoltaic panels.[46]

The environmental credentials of e-bikes, and electric / human powered hybrids

generally, have led some municipal authorities to use them, such as Little Rock,
Arkansas with their Wavecrest electric power-assisted bicycles or Cloverdale,
California police with Zap e-bikes. China’s e-bike manufacturers, such as Xinri,
are now partnering with universities in a bid to improve their technology in line
with international environmental standards, backed by the Chinese government
who is keen to improve the export potential of the Chinese manufactured e-
bikes.[47]

A recent study on the environment impact of e-bikes vs other forms of

transportation[48] found that e-bikes are about:

 18 times more energy efficient than an SUV

 13 times more energy efficient than a sedan
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  6 times more energy efficient than rail transit
 and, of about equal impact to the environment as a conventional bicycle.

One major concern is disposal of used lead batteries, which can cause
environmental contamination if not recycled.[2]

Road traffic safety

China's experience, as the leading e-bike world market, has raised concerns about
road traffic safety and several cities have considered banning them from bicycle
lanes.[2] As the number of e-bikes increased and more powerful motors are used,
capable of reaching up to 30 miles per hour (48 km/h), the number of traffic
accidents have risen significantly in China. E-bike riders are more likely than a car
driver to be killed or injured in a collision, and because e-bikers use conventional
bicycle lanes they mix with slower-moving bicycles and pedestrians, increasing the
risk of traffic collisions.[2]

Experience by country

An e-bike in China. Here the rider isn't using the pedals.

Pedelecs from the Call a Bike bicycle hire scheme in Berlin.

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A police pedelec in Tokyo.

Delivery e-bike with license plate in Manhattan, New York City.

CONCLUSION

China has experienced an explosive growth of sales of non-assisted e-bikes

including scooter type, with annual sales jumping from 56,000 units in 1998 to
over 21 million in 2008,[49] and reaching an estimated fleet of 120 million e-bikes
as of early 2010.[2][50] This boom was triggered by Chinese local governments'
efforts to restrict motorcycles in city centers to avoid traffic disruption and
accidents. By late 2009 motorcycles are banned or restricted in over ninety major
Chinese cities.[49] Users began replacing traditional bicycles and motorcycles and,
in e-bike became an alternative to commuting by car.[2] Nevertheless, road safety
concerns continue as around 2,500 e-bike related deaths were registered in 2007.[50]
As of late 2009 ten cities have also banned or imposed restrictions on e-bikes on
the same grounds as motorcycles. Among these cities are Guangzhou, Shenzhen,
Changsha, Foshan, Changzhou, and Dongguang.[49][50]

China is the world's leading manufacturer of e-bikes, with 22.2 million units
produced in 2009. Production is concentrated in five regions, Tianjin, Zhejiang,
Jiangsu, Shandong, and Shanghai.[51] China exported 370,000 e-bikes in 2009.[52]
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References
1. Jump up ^ "Electric Bikes Now Constitute 10 Percent of German Market".
EVworld.com. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h J. David Goodman (2010-01-31). "An Electric
Boost for Bicyclists". New York Times. Retrieved 2010-05-31.
3. Jump up ^ Kathy Chu (2010-02-12). "Electric bikes face long road in
U.S.". USA Today. Retrieved 2010-05-31.
4. Jump up ^
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8. Jump up ^ "Electric Bikes - Zike Bike Spares & Sales". Zikebike.com.
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10.^ Jump up to: a b "China's Cyclists Take Charge", By Peter Fairley. IEEE
Spectrum, June 2005
11.Jump up ^ "Power assisted bicycles". VicRoads website. VicRoads.
Retrieved 25 August 2013.
12.Jump up ^ "Was Sie über den Versicherungsschutz von pedelecs wissen
sollten" (in German). Gesamtverband der Deutschen
Versicherungswirtschaft (German Insurance Association). Retrieved 21
March 2013.
13.Jump up ^ "eZee electric bicycles: Torq". Retrieved 29 March 2013.

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