Electric bikes have been around us for a while but the rules and regulations are still in process to determine how fast do electric bikes go in the United Kingdom. According to the recent instructions by the government of UK, an e bike cannot go more than 15.5 m/h or 25 km/h speed with an electric motor in line of minimum 250W. Let's explore the factors determining how fast can an electric bike go according to the different classes like with electric motors of 250W, 500W, 750W, and so on, with pedal assistance or throttle, and combined power. Factors Determining How Fast Can Electric Bikes Go There are several factors responsible for determining how fast can an e bike go from torque to legal acceleration speed. Let's explore them. 1. Motor Power The power of the electric motor plays a crucial role in producing torque, which helps riders roam around the city or off-roading tracks with ease. For example, Engwe L20 produces 50 N.m torque from a 250W brushless electric motor to help the riders climb up to 10° with maximum speed. Buy Now On the other hand, if the power of the motor is higher than 250W like 500W or 750W, the torque will be higher resulting in fast rides and determining how fast are electric bikes. 2. Bike Weight The lighter your bike will be, the quicker and speedier it will be. So the e bikes having less body weight are more capable of going fast on every kind of terrain. So make sure to buy a lightweight bike for your journey to achieve the maximum speed limit according to UK laws for experiencing the thrilling ride of the e bike. 3. Drive Terrain How fast can electric bikes go depends upon the type of terrain on which you are riding your e bike. If you are riding on a plain road, you can reach your destination quickly at a higher speed than you can reach on a gravel road. On gravel roads, you have to slow down your e bicycle speed to maintain stability throughout the journey. Unless you have an off-road beast like the Engwe Engine X that provides maximum speed and utmost stability for adventurers, you can't accelerate at lightning speed on these kinds of tracks. Buy Now Electric Bike Classes Electric bikes are divided into 3 classes according to their working mechanism, like bikes with pedal assistance and throttle only are classified in different classes. These classifications are followed by the manufacturers and government regulatory bodies to devise laws according to the class. Electric bikes are mainly divided into 3 classes according to the top speed and acceleration methods. 1. Class 1 E Bikes Let's explore how fast are e bikes. Bicycles that can reach a top speed of 33 km/h with pedal assistance are classified as Class 1 electric bikes. These vehicles are required to have electric motors that only provide pedal assistance to the riders, not allowing them to ride entirely on the motor power. These electric bicycles can be ridden on normal bike lanes and paths. For more clarity, you can consult your local regulations. 2. Class 2 E Bikes Class 2 e bikes are the ones that come with pedal assistance and throttle, to help the riders pedal the electric bicycle when they are feeling energised and use the throttle to rev the e bike for going back and forth between their destination when they are low on energy. Let's find out how fast does an electric bike go in the class 2 category. These bikes can also go up to 20 m/h or 33 km/h to remain within the legal speeding limits of the UK. They can be ridden on dedicated electric bicycle lanes along with other non-throttle assisted electric bicycles. 3. Class 3 E Bikes Class 3 electric bikes are like class 1 e bicycles as they are required to be ridden with pedal assistance to use the motor power up to 28 m/h or 46 km/h. These e bicycles are required to use throttle and pedal assistance for utmost speed. In this case, how fast do electric bikes go in the UK depends upon the electric motor size installed in it. For example, the Engwe EP-2 Pro equipped with a 750W motor provides a compliant speed of 25 km/h and requires the rider to pedal the e-bike in pedal-assist mode, with a range of up to 120 km. Buy Now To enjoy the higher speed, the bike must also meet other requirements, such as having a sturdy frame made of aluminum alloy, responsive disc brakes, a speedometer, and efficient Shimano gears. If it is a Class 3 e-bike, a digital speedometer is also required. These bikes usually have more than 250W electric motors. Do You Need a Licence to Ride an E-Bike? According to UK laws, you don't need a licence to ride an e bike with a 250W electric motor with a speed limit of 25 km/h on the normal cycling paths and roads. If the electric motor is of more watts than 250, like 500, 750, then you need to get a licence from the relevant authorities to ride these kinds of bikes in the country. The electric bike that can go faster than 25 km/h needs to be registered, and insured, and the owner has to pay certain taxes as well for riding it. The first requirement to get a license is that the rider must be at least 14 years old. You can check the local laws before buying an e-bike to comply with the rules and regulations of your city. Conclusion If you are looking to buy an electric bike you must know how electric bikes work before purchasing the one for you. After understanding the working phenomena, familiarise yourself with UK laws regarding e bikes and how to charge them. Understand how fast do electric bikes go and the difference between classes, purchase the right Engwe E bike for you according to your requirements, and abide by the laws and regulations of the country to make a wise investment. You may also want to know: How Much are Electric Bikes in the UK - Budget Friendly or not? A Guide On How To Pump A Bike Tire - 5 Easy Steps Torque VS Power: Know the Difference Between Power and Torque Discover the Top 5 250W Electric Bikes in Budget Friendly Prices to Buy Best Fast Electric Bikes in UK (Within Max Speed Limits)
