Although the new national standards have not yet been officially released, companies that are aware of the upcoming release plan have already started preparing countermeasures. In Guangdong Province, about 60% to 70% of bicycle association members have begun adjusting their production operations, and some companies have even exited the market.
"Currently, based on the 11th draft revision, the final approval draft has been completed and has entered the review stage. The new national standards are expected to be released within the year," Ma Zhongchao, Chairman of the China Bicycle Association and Director of the National Bicycle Standardization Technical Development Committee, told Legal Weekly on April 19. The submission of the draft for review marks another step forward toward the long-awaited release of the new standards.
This comes 14 years after the national electric bicycle standards were first introduced in 1999. Although the new standards are on the horizon, some industry insiders remain pessimistic: without addressing the traffic management issues posed by electric bicycles at a higher level, the release of the new standards still lacks a clear timeline.
Seriously outdated standards
The release of China’s new national standards for electric bicycles has been a rocky road over the past 14 years.
In 1999, China issued the "General Technical Requirements for Electric Bicycles" (GB17761-1999). According to this standard, electric bicycles had a maximum speed of 20 km/h, a weight limit of no more than 40 kg, a minimum range of 25 km per charge, and were required to have pedal functionality. Those meeting these criteria were classified as non-motorized vehicles, allowed to use non-motorized lanes, and riders did not need a motor vehicle license; otherwise, they would be treated as motor vehicles. This became known as the "20/40 standard."
As per convention, national standards are usually revised every three to five years after implementation to adapt to societal needs. In 2002, relevant state departments initiated a revision of the electric bicycle standards, but disagreements over the definitions of "speed" and "weight" among various stakeholders led to the creation of ten draft revisions, repeatedly delaying the release.
At the end of 2009, the Standardization Administration of China (referred to hereafter as the "Standardization Committee") published the "General Technical Requirements for Electric Motorcycles and Electric Mopeds," which defined electric bicycles with a design speed exceeding 20 km/h or a weight over 40 kg as electric motorcycles—falling under the category of motor vehicles. Under this standard, 95% of the then 120 million electric bicycles in China would be reclassified as motor vehicles. This would have required consumers to register their vehicles, obtain licenses, and purchase insurance before legally riding them, directly leading to a severe contraction of the electric bicycle market. Subsequently, the standard was suspended at the strong request of the China Bicycle Association and numerous electric bicycle manufacturers.
Afterward, the Standardization Committee instructed relevant departments to accelerate the revision of the "General Technical Requirements for Electric Bicycles" to ensure the standards met legal requirements for safety, environmental protection, and energy efficiency, while also allowing room for healthy industrial development.
Ma Zhongchao told Legal Weekly that to facilitate the early release of the new standards, the China Bicycle Association led the establishment of a national standards drafting coordination group at the end of 2011. "If the stalling of the 2009 version of the standards was mainly due to conflicts with the electric motorcycle industry, during this revision of the new standards, through multiple communications and negotiations with the motorcycle industry, that conflict no longer exists."
Legal Weekly learned that the technical clauses in the draft revision of the new standards have increased from 34 to 54. The draft submission classifies electric bicycles into three types: Type I (Smart Drive), Type II (Assisted Drive), and Type III (Electric Drive), with corresponding weight limits: no more than 40 kg, 50 kg, and 55 kg (excluding batteries), respectively. The speed limit for all three types has been set at 26 km/h.
"China has vast territory and uneven urban-rural development. Categorized standards allow local governments to choose management approaches based on local living standards and traffic conditions," Ma Zhongchao explained.
The challenge of electric bicycle speed limits
Ma Zhongchao is full of hope for the release of the new standards. He told Legal Weekly that the current draft has already been submitted for review and will not undergo major changes in principle. If all goes smoothly, the new standards could be released by the end of the year.
However, whether this hope will materialize remains uncertain. A veteran in the electric bicycle industry revealed to Legal Weekly that apart from conflicts with the motorcycle industry, the delay in releasing the new standards also stems from friction with traffic management authorities.
In fact, the traffic management challenges posed by electric bicycles have been a major headache for authorities.
According to current national standards, the speed of electric bicycles must not exceed 20 km/h. However, most electric bikes are designed to reach speeds of up to 40 km/h. Legal Weekly found during interviews in the Beijing market that although electric bicycles come equipped with speed limiters at the factory, many dealers said simple modifications can easily increase the speed, and most consumers request such modifications when purchasing. Moreover, since traffic laws do not require electric bicycle riders to hold a license, it means riders can operate them without training or assessment. Some people’s lax awareness of traffic safety increases risks, and the ambiguous status of "non-compliant" electric bicycles further complicates enforcement for traffic authorities.
Due to the prolonged delay in issuing new standards, some local governments have established electric bicycle management policies based on current national standards, restricting or banning bikes that exceed the "20/40 standard." Since the beginning of this year, provinces and cities including Guangdong, Shanghai, Yunnan, and Guizhou have introduced restrictive policies for "non-compliant" electric bicycles. For example, cities like Zhongshan and Zhanjiang in Guangdong have set clear phase-out periods for such bikes, treating them as motor vehicles during the transition period.
Under the government’s various "electric bike restrictions" and "bans," "currently, the production of electric bicycle manufacturers in Guangdong, including parts producers, is not operating normally," a staff member of the Guangdong Bicycle Industry Association said.
Ma Zhongchao stated that the current national standards were established 14 years ago, and current technological capabilities far exceed those of the time. On the basis of fully considering safety performance, weight and maximum speed limits should be appropriately relaxed, and any resulting issues can also be addressed through technological solutions.
"For example, to reduce traffic risks caused by speeding, the draft of the new standards mandates that every electric bicycle must be equipped with a non-removable speed sensor device at the factory. The speed is set at 26 km/h, and if exceeded, the device will automatically sound an alarm and cut off power to the electric bicycle," Ma Zhongchao explained.
"Such a massive industry requires traffic managers to have greater wisdom," the aforementioned industry veteran lamented.
Impending industry reshuffle
Although the new national standards have not yet been officially released, companies aware of the plans have already begun preparing countermeasures. "About 60% to 70% of our members have started adjusting their production operations, and some companies have exited the market," said the aforementioned staff member of the Guangdong Bicycle Association.
"In fact, the industry adjustment began back in 2011," Ma Zhongchao told reporters. At the end of March 2011, four ministries including the Ministry of Public Security jointly issued the "Notice on Strengthening the Management of Electric Vehicles," requiring the phasing out of electric bicycles in use that did not meet the "20/40 standard" according to existing national regulations. In May of the same year, nine ministries including the Ministry of Environmental Protection launched a joint rectification of the lead-acid battery industry, forcing electric bicycle companies in the supply chain to either halt production or seek transformation.
With the successive introduction of several policy documents, Ma Zhongchao said the entire industry has undergone deep adjustments, and a turning point in industry development has emerged.
Ma Zhongchao illustrated this change with data: by the end of 2009, there were over 2,600 companies nationwide with electric bicycle production licenses, with about 2,300 actually producing electric bicycles. By the end of 2012, following industry mergers and restructuring, the number of licensed producers dropped to around 1,050, with only about 500 actually engaged in production.
"Over the past two years, the concentration of the electric bicycle industry has significantly increased. In 2012, the top ten companies accounted for about 40% of the industry’s total output, and the industry has developed in a moderate and controlled manner. After the new standards are implemented, the industry reshuffle will accelerate, with stronger companies growing even more dominant, while weaker ones may be acquired or exit the market altogether," Ma Zhongchao concluded.
In addition to increased industry concentration, Ma Zhongchao predicts that the smooth implementation of the new national standards will also drive the optimization and upgrading of the industrial structure. "The key to upgrading the electric bicycle industry lies in lithium batteries. Currently, lithium battery-powered electric bicycles—known for being lightweight, compact, and having a long cycle life—only hold a 2.5% market share, indicating huge growth potential. By categorizing and standardizing products under the new national standards, it will help enterprises adjust their business structures and gradually reduce the production of lead-acid battery-powered electric bicycles, which are low in technological content and come with high environmental costs."