This research report presents a review of overseas legislation, technology trends, market and safety analyses for low-powered, low-speed vehicles. These vehicles include electric bicycles, mobility scooters, self-balancing devices and other personal mobility or wheeled recreational devices. Based on a literature review, consultation with key stakeholders in two forums and an online survey with over 1200 responses, the research assesses various regulatory and non-regulatory options for improving safety while supporting technological innovation and mode choice options in New Zealand. This work was published as Research Report 621 by the NZ Transport Agency.
In February 2020, we compared our e-bike sales prediction scenarios with actual data up until the end of 2019. And what do you know? The e-bike market is exploding, with sales matching our "extreme growth scenario".