At Cyberbikes, we design, build and ride electric bicycles every day. We work on Australian roads, in Australian traffic, under Australian conditions. That is why we cannot stay silent when regulation makes our streets less safe and limits one of the most efficient transport solutions available to Australians.
Recently, Cyberbikes formally submitted a letter to the Secretary of Transport raising serious concerns about Australia’s current electric bicycle regulations. These rules, largely derived from European standards, do not reflect Australian road conditions, commuting distances or traffic speeds.
This is not a political statement. It is an engineering, safety and public-interest position.
Why current e-bike laws are failing Australians
On many Australian roads, traffic flows at around sixty kilometres per hour. Electric bicycles are legally restricted to roughly twenty five kilometres per hour. This creates a large and dangerous speed difference between lightweight e-bikes and general traffic.
Cars are not power-limited at the vehicle level. Speed is regulated by the road environment and enforcement. Electric bicycles are treated differently, without clear safety evidence to justify that approach.
The result is visible every day in major cities:
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riders are pressured by faster traffic,
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riders are pushed onto footpaths,
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pedestrians are exposed to higher risk,
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and cycling infrastructure is forced to carry loads it was never designed for.
This is not safer. It increases conflict.
Australia needs Australian solutions
Australia is not Europe. We are a large country with long travel distances, high-speed arterial roads and limited cycling infrastructure. Copying overseas standards without adapting them to local conditions leads to poor outcomes.
Electric bicycles should be part of the solution to congestion, fuel dependence and public health challenges. Instead, current regulation suppresses their practical use.
Why energy security matters
Australia imports most of its fuel and holds limited domestic reserves. Electric bicycles:
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consume very little energy,
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can be charged using locally produced electricity,
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reduce congestion and emissions,
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lower infrastructure costs,
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and support healthier lifestyles.
Restricting their effectiveness works against national transport, energy and health objectives.
Cyberbikes supports smart regulation, not deregulation
Cyberbikes does not argue for removing rules. We argue for better classification and clearer regulation that matches real-world use.
A sensible framework can improve safety, compliance and enforcement while giving Australians real transport choice. Poor regulation does the opposite.
The letter submitted by Cyberbikes
Below is the full text of the letter submitted to the Secretary of Transport. We are publishing it publicly because this issue affects all Australians who want safer, cleaner and more efficient transport.
Dear Mr Betts,
I am writing to you as a mechanical engineer specialised in automotive engineering and as someone who has designed and built lightweight electric vehicles, particularly electric bicycles, for more than nine years.
Your decision to classify electric bicycles under categories that are not road vehicles and to apply European standard limits without adaptation is, in my professional view, a serious policy mistake. It reduces safety on Australian roads and discourages the adoption of micromobility at a time when Australia needs it most.
Limiting electric bicycles to very low power and low assisted speed creates a large and dangerous speed difference between riders and general traffic. A lightweight electric bicycle travelling at around twenty five kilometres per hour is expected to share roads with vehicles travelling at sixty kilometres per hour or more. This situation increases risk for riders and drivers alike.
Motor vehicles are not restricted by power limits at the vehicle level. Speed is regulated by road rules and enforcement. Electric bicycles are treated differently without a clear safety justification. The result is that riders are pushed into unsafe positions on the road or onto footpaths, increasing risk for pedestrians. This outcome is observable daily in major Australian cities.
Australia is not a small European country. Our cities are spread out, our roads are designed for higher speeds, and cycling infrastructure is limited and often inconsistent. Applying overseas standards without adapting them to Australian conditions ignores geography, infrastructure and traffic reality.
There is also an energy security dimension that cannot be ignored. Australia imports most of its fuel and holds limited domestic reserves. Electric bicycles consume very little energy, can be powered locally through electricity generation, reduce congestion, reduce emissions and improve public health. Restricting their practical use works against national interests in transport, energy and health.
This is not an argument for removing regulation. It is an argument for better classification. A clear distinction between lower speed utility electric bicycles and higher speed road only light electric vehicles would improve safety, compliance and enforcement while giving Australians real transport choices.
At present, forcing electric bicycles to operate far below prevailing traffic speeds places riders in a legally and physically vulnerable position. This is not a sustainable or safe outcome.
I respectfully request that this decision be reviewed and that consultation be opened with engineers, road safety specialists, urban planners and industry professionals who work directly with these vehicles. Australia has an opportunity to lead with practical and evidence based micromobility regulation rather than applying standards that do not reflect our conditions.
I would welcome the opportunity to contribute to such a discussion.
Sincerely,
Mech. Eng. Mr Rodrigues
