electric tricycle, legal question

Does anyone know if a tricycle with an electric motor is classed the
same way as a three wheeled car by law?

Would an electric tricycle need road tax and insurance?

I seem to remember the Sinclair C5 could be driven by anyone over 12?

I know you can get a bicycle with electrical assistance, but I didn't
think they were classed in the same way as mopeds (for example).


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John Burns wrote:
Does anyone know if a tricycle with an electric motor is classed the
same way as a three wheeled car by law?

Would an electric tricycle need road tax and insurance?

There is some detailed advice re. this at
http://www.atob.org.uk/questionselectric.htm

Seems to be the same as electric-assist bikes: "The UK Department for
Transport confirms that two, three or four wheeled electric cycles will
not be treated as motor vehicles provided they conform with the
European Directive".

Jon

John Burns wrote in news:45B67F0E.7D27
@unixnerd.demon.co.uk:

Does anyone know if a tricycle with an electric motor is classed the
same way as a three wheeled car by law?

Would an electric tricycle need road tax and insurance?

I seem to remember the Sinclair C5 could be driven by anyone over 12?

I know you can get a bicycle with electrical assistance, but I didn't
think they were classed in the same way as mopeds (for example).



I think the max all up weight is 40kg and the motor is supposed to be max 200
watts (ridiculously small, I have a 450 watt motor on my electric bike.)

No limit to number of wheels though so you'll be ok there.

--
tallbloke

On 24 Jan, 01:21, tallbloke wrote:

the motor is supposed to be max 200
watts (ridiculously small, I have a 450 watt motor on my electric bike.)

tallbloke

Is that 450w max. output or continuous output? Motors are often
labelled according to their theoretical max. output but the highest
continuous output they can sustain may be significantly below that. I
think the law on electric-assist bikes refers to continuous output.

Jon

tallbloke wrote:



I think the max all up weight is 40kg and the motor is supposed to be max 200
watts (ridiculously small, I have a 450 watt motor on my electric bike.)

No limit to number of wheels though so you'll be ok there.


You're allowed a bit extra power on a trike: 250 Watt. I think the
trike weight limit is a bit higher too, but I can't remember how much.

--
Andrew

In ,
John Burns tweaked the Babbage-Engine to tell
us:
Does anyone know if a tricycle with an electric motor is classed the
same way as a three wheeled car by law?

Would an electric tricycle need road tax and insurance?

I seem to remember the Sinclair C5 could be driven by anyone over 12?

I know you can get a bicycle with electrical assistance, but I didn't
think they were classed in the same way as mopeds (for example).

It sez 'ere (Issue 6 of the BHPC Newsletter):

Statutory Instrument No. 1168/1983

....the vehicle shall:

a) have a kerbside weight not exceeding -

i) in the case of a bicycle, other than a tandem bicycle, 40 kilograms, and
ii) in the case of a tandem bicycle and a tricycle, 60 kilograms

b) be fitted with pedals by means of which it is capable of being propelled,
and

c) be fitted with no motor other than an electric motor which -

i) has a continuous rated output which, when installed in the vehicle wi
the nominal voltage supplied, does not exceed -

A) in the case of a bicycle, other than a tandem bicycle, 0.2 kW
B) in the case of a tandem bicycle and a tricycle, 0.25 kW, and

ii) cannot propel the vehicle when it is travelling at more than 15 mph

Statutory Instrument No. 1176/1983

No person shall ride, or cause or permit to be ridden, on a road a pedal
cycle to which the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles Regulations 1983 apply
unless it is fitted with -

a) a plate securely fixed in a conspicuous and readily accessible position
showing -

i) The name of the manufacturer of the vehicle
ii) The nominal voltage of the battery (as defined in the 1971 British
Standard) of the vehicle, and
iii) The continuous rated output (as defined in the 1971 British Standard)
of the motor of the vehicle

b) braking systems which are so designed and constructed that -

i) in the case of a bicycle they comply with the standards specified in
clause 6 of the 1981 British Standard, and
ii) in the case of a tricycle they comply with standards no less than the
standards of braking systems fitted to a bicycle which which complies with
clause 6 of the 1981 British Standard

c) a battery which does not leak so as to be a source of danger, and

d) a device biased to the off position which allows power to come from the
motor only when the device is operated so as to achieve that result.

If it doesn't comply with the above, then it's classified as a milk float
:-) and would need to be registered, insured, MOT'd, display a VED wossname
etc. etc. Though IIRC the VED on such a beast is this: 0 GBP

--
Dave Larrington
http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk
And then there was light and He thought it was good, so He threw
the receipt away.

In article , Dave Larrington wrote:
Statutory Instrument No. 1176/1983
No person shall ride, or cause or permit to be ridden, on a road a pedal
cycle to which the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles Regulations 1983 apply
[...]
If it doesn't comply with the above, then it's classified as a milk float
:-) and would need to be registered, insured, MOT'd, display a VED wossname
etc. etc. Though IIRC the VED on such a beast is this: 0 GBP

Actually an electric moped, which matters for the class of driving licence
you need, the legal requirement to wear a helmet, and what lights and so on
it needs to be fitted with compared with a mlk float.

In ,
Alan Braggins tweaked the Babbage-Engine to
tell us:

Actually an electric moped, which matters for the class of driving
licence you need, the legal requirement to wear a helmet, and what
lights and so on it needs to be fitted with compared with a mlk float.

Even for a trike?

--
Dave Larrington
http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk
I am the Disgruntled Employee; I am the New Face of Labour
Relations.

In article , Dave Larrington wrote:
Alan Braggins tweaked the Babbage-Engine to
tell us:

Actually an electric moped, which matters for the class of driving
licence you need, the legal requirement to wear a helmet, and what
lights and so on it needs to be fitted with compared with a mlk float.

Even for a trike?

Point. I read the
I know you can get a bicycle with electrical assistance, but I didn't
think they were classed in the same way as mopeds (for example).
bit and forgot trikes were the subject.

Helmet is a two-wheel thing:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/group....hcsp#P31_1694
"If you are driving or riding on a 2-wheeled motorcycle on a road you must
wear a helmet. Passengers in a sidecar don't have to wear a helmet and neither
does a Sikh who is wearing a turban. Also, no helmet is needed if someone is
pushing the motorcycle on foot."

I did do some research on the rules for very lightweight electric vehicles
(EAPC without a speed limiter) a while back, and even ended up writing to
someone at the DfT (DETR then), but AFAIR never got an answer, and
the rules have probably changed by now anyway.

http://www.vca.gov.uk/additional/fil...les/vca039.pdf
"Category L2e - Moped -Three wheel having a maximum speed of 45km/h, maximum
spark ignition internal combustion engine capacity 50cm3 or maximum power of
any other internal combustion engine of 4kW or maximum electric motor power
of 4kW."

But that it's a moped for Type Approval purposes doesn't mean the same
is true for the other purposes. On the other hand that document also says
"UK National Regulations - The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use)
Regulations 1986 and The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 (C&U and RVLR)
3.1 Definitions
Motorcycle - a vehicle having less than four wheels and weighing less than
410kg unladen.
This definition includes three wheeled motorcycles and three-wheel mopeds:

Three Wheeled Motorcycle - a motorcycle having three wheels, not including
a motorcycle and sidecar.

Moped - a motorcycle weighing less than 250kg and with a maximum design
speed not greater than 30mph. If the engine is an internal combustion engine
its capacity must not exceed 50cm3. Propelling pedals are not required."

(Of course if the "maximum design speed" limit includes use on a steep
downhill, then a decent bike or trike with any motor at all is going to exceed
the moped limit. (I assume there must be an implicit "motorised" in the
definitions somewhere.))

Dave Larrington wrote:
In ,
Alan Braggins tweaked the Babbage-Engine to
tell us:

Actually an electric moped, which matters for the class of driving
licence you need, the legal requirement to wear a helmet, and what
lights and so on it needs to be fitted with compared with a mlk float.

Even for a trike?


That'll depend how far apart the wheels are... ISTR that two wheels on a
common axle less than 18" count as one wheel. I think the law was
intended to cover the double wheels on the back of lorries - but it
applies to everything and means , f'rinstance, that weird things like
the Austin 7 engined 3-wheel Brough Superior was legally a motor bike.

--
Andrew