Electric bike and scooter revolution

In the last year, the number of e-bikes imported to New Zealand has reached nearly 20,000 units while electric scooters and skateboards are increasingly seen on paths. To inform potential changes in regulation, we conducted a research study on overseas legislation, technology trends, market and safety analyses. Findings include the results of a nationwide survey of both users and non-users, the speed difference between powered and unpowered riders, and recent changes in regulatory approaches overseas. A safe systems approach considering the vehicle, the user, and the road design is applied to an assessment of safety.

This interactive workshop was held at the 2WALKandCYCLE Conference in Palmerston North. We summarised our research and provide participants an opportunity to ride various electric scooters and bikes. The presentation is available on our website.