{"id":47534,"date":"2025-10-13T13:47:06","date_gmt":"2025-10-13T11:47:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/syklo.fr\/why-the-25-km-h-limit-is-holding-back-the-adoption-of-electric-bikes-in-france\/"},"modified":"2025-10-17T17:43:24","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T15:43:24","slug":"why-the-25-km-h-limit-is-holding-back-the-adoption-of-electric-bikes-in-france","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/syklo.fr\/en\/why-the-25-km-h-limit-is-holding-back-the-adoption-of-electric-bikes-in-france\/","title":{"rendered":"Why the 25 km\/h limit is holding back the adoption of electric bikes in France"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Regulations that penalize experienced cyclists<\/h2>\n

In France, a bicycle’s electric assistance must automatically switch off at 25 km\/h.<\/strong> This limit, set by European Directive 2002\/24\/EC<\/strong>, enables electric bikes to remain in the “cycle” category<\/strong> and avoid classification as mopeds. A regular sports cyclist already travels at between 28 and 30 km\/h<\/strong> on a conventional bike. When he switches to an electrically-assisted bike for his daily commute, he finds himself restricted to<\/strong> a speed lower than his natural pace. The result is counter-intuitive: the electric bike slows him down<\/strong> compared to his muscle bike. <\/p>\n

This situation creates a frustration that slows down adoption. Regular cyclists, who are a natural target for the electrification of their journeys, come up against a limitation that doesn’t correspond to their real needs. For these users, electric assistance should enable them to maintain their usual speed without the physical effort, not slow them down. <\/p>\n<\/article>\n

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\"Cyclist<\/figure>\n<\/div>
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The specific challenge of suburban and rural areas<\/h2>\n

The ADEME study points out that 36% of the population lives less than 4 km from essential facilities<\/strong>, but this proportion is much lower in suburban and rural areas. In these areas, distances are longer and cycling infrastructure is often less developed. <\/p>\n

Dangerous areas such as climbs or sections with heavy traffic sometimes require you to maintain sufficient speed for safety. Dragging yourself up a hill at 18 km\/h, grazed by cars travelling at 50 or 70 km\/h, represents a real risk<\/g>. In such situations, maintaining a speed of 30 to 32 km\/h<\/strong> enables the cyclist to move more naturally into traffic and pass through high-risk areas more quickly. <\/p>\n

A government survey on personal mobility in 2019 reveals that 54% of French people travel less than 10 km between home and work<\/strong>. These distances are perfectly suited to electric bikes, but not necessarily within the current limits for suburban journeys where cohabitation with motorized vehicles is unavoidable. <\/p>\n

The speedbike alternative: an inaccessible solution<\/h2>\n

Faced with this limitation, some cyclists are turning to speedbikes, electric bicycles capable of speeds of up to 45 km\/h<\/strong>. But this option is not a democratizing solution. Speedbikes fall into the category of mopeds<\/strong>, and are subject to restrictive regulations. <\/p>\n

Firstly, price is a major obstacle. A speedbike costs between 2,500 and 7,000 euros, compared with 1,000 to 3,000 euros for a conventional electric bike. Then there are the registration fees (50 to 60 euros) and compulsory insurance (between 50 and 150 euros a year, or even up to 600 euros depending on your profile). <\/p>\n

Secondly, there are numerous restrictions on use<\/strong>: you must wear an ECE2205-approved helmet (like a motorcycle helmet), motorcycle-approved gloves, you can’t ride on cycle paths, and you must use the roadway even when a cycle path exists. Speedbikes are also prohibited from riding against the flow of traffic on one-way streets with a 30 km\/h speed limit, a privilege reserved for conventional bicycles. <\/p>\n

Speedbikes are not eligible for<\/strong> government or local authority subsidies<\/strong>. All these constraints mean that speedbikes are reserved for a niche audience, not a tool for democratizing active mobility. <\/p>\n

The Quebec example: 32 km\/h without a problem<\/h2>\n

In Quebec and all other Canadian provinces, the maximum speed for e-bikes is set at 32 km\/h, with motor power limited to 500 watts. These regulations impose age restrictions: a minimum of 18 years old to drive an electric bicycle, or 14 years old with a class 6D license authorizing the driving of a moped. <\/p>\n

Helmets must be worn, but these are standard bicycle helmets, not motorcycle helmets. E-bikes can be used on public roads, except on freeways and their access roads. No registration is required. <\/p>\n

In the USA<\/strong>, the limit varies from state to state, but is generally around 32 km\/h (20 mph)<\/strong>. No major safety problems have been reported with these higher limits. On the contrary, some observers note that this speed allows better integration into road traffic<\/strong>, reducing dangerous situations caused by too great a speed differential with motorized vehicles. <\/p>\n<\/article>\n

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\"Country<\/figure>\n<\/div>
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The case for regulatory change<\/h2>\n

There are several arguments in favor of raising the French speed limit to 32 km\/h, as in Quebec. This speed represents an appropriate compromise: sufficient to meet the real needs of cyclists on suburban and rural routes, but not so excessive as to create dangers on urban cycle paths. <\/p>\n

The idea is not to systematically ride at 32 km\/h on a downtown bike path. As Suzanne Lareau, President and CEO of V\u00e9lo Qu\u00e9bec, points out, “when you exceed 25 km\/h, I think you should go to the street”. The principle is simple: trust cyclists<\/strong> to adapt their speed to the environment, just as we do for motorists<\/strong>, who go from 30 to 130 km\/h depending on the zone. <\/p>\n

The technology already exists. Electrification kits and electric<\/a> <\/strong>and electric bikes can technically assist up to 32 km\/h without major design modifications. The idea is not to create oversized vehicles requiring special brakes or safety equipment, but simply to raise the assistance limit slightly.<\/p>\n

A brake on the decarbonization of transport<\/h2>\n

The national objective is clear: to increase the modal share of bicycles from 3% to 12% by 2030<\/strong>. To achieve this, we need to win over new target groups, particularly in suburban and rural areas where there is considerable potential for progress. The current 25 km\/h speed limit is an obstacle to achieving this goal. <\/p>\n

Bicycle electrification professionals regularly observe this frustration. The first question from suburban customers concerns maximum speed. When the answer is “25 km\/h”, enthusiasm falls. These customers know that they need more for their actual journeys, especially on dangerous stretches where they have to cohabit with fast vehicles. <\/p>\n

The issue goes beyond mere comfort. It’s about removing a regulatory barrier<\/g> that prevents electric bikes from becoming a credible alternative to the car for a significant proportion of the population. The ADEME study shows that the potential exists.<\/g> International experience proves that 32 km\/h is a safe and appropriate speed<\/g>. What’s missing is the political will<\/strong> to change French regulations. <\/p>\n

Conclusion: towards a 32 km\/h limit?<\/h2>\n

The 25 km\/h limit was set at a time when electric bikes were still marginal. Today, with 738,454 electrically-assisted bicycles sold in France in 2022<\/g>, the market has changed dimension. Uses have diversified, needs have become clearer. <\/p>\n

Raising the limit to 32 km\/h would meet the needs identified by ADEME<\/strong>: extending the range of travel and conquering suburban and rural areas. This change would not require the creation of a new vehicle category with heavy administrative constraints, but simply the adaptation of existing regulations. <\/p>\n

Electric bicycles can transform suburban and rural areas. Provided we stop artificially restricting it to a speed that is ill-suited to the realities of these areas. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n

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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In September 2025, ADEME published a major study on the potential of cycling in France. The figures speak for themselves: 76% of French people live less than 4 km from essential amenities such as shops, schools and doctors, a distance that can be covered in around 15 minutes by bike. The agency estimates that the modal share of cycling could rise from 3% today to 8%, enabling a 15% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for local mobility. <\/p>\n

To achieve this goal, the study identifies four levers, two of which are directly linked to the electrically-assisted bicycle: extending the range of trips, and convincing people in suburban and rural areas. It is precisely in these areas that the French 25 km\/h limit poses a problem. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":297,"featured_media":47419,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","iawp_total_views":47,"footnotes":""},"categories":[53,55],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-47534","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-advice","category-forward"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/syklo.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47534","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/syklo.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/syklo.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/syklo.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/297"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/syklo.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47534"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/syklo.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47534\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/syklo.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47419"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/syklo.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47534"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/syklo.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47534"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/syklo.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47534"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}