Electric bikes are so practical in Beijing that not only they are friendly to the environment and cheap to operate; besides they are the quickest way to get through Beijing’s traffic jams, but despite the popularity of electric bikes’, many users are unaware of the regulations and bans on electric bikes in Beijing.
The new restrictions, which have not changed in more than 16 years, lag far behind the production and promotion of these vehicles. Accordingly, it is estimated about 90 percent of today’s electric bikes do not meet the national standards.
Due to questions are being raised about the impact of new restrictions on electric bicycles, we checked with Beijing’s Traffic Management Bureau to find out what’s the deal and have compiled some tips for your trip.
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#1 Electric Bikes – Bicycle style
An electric bicycle can be classified as non-motor vehicles only when it runs no more than 20km/h, weighs no more than 40kg, and is equipped with two bicycle pedals.
According to Law of The People’s Republic of China on Road Traffic Safety, the electric bicycles need to be registered before running on the road. The good news is that under Beijing traffic law, electric bikes are classified as bicycles, in part to encourage the use of these no/low-emission vehicles. Therefore, no driving license is required to ride one, and they can be registered for RMB 10 at just about any local police station, the same place where you register your visa and residency. Bring your passport and the fapiao (official receipt, received at purchase), which should have the vehicle’s serial number on it. If you are buying a second-hand electric bike, make sure you get the original purchase fapiao at the time of transfer.
#2 Electric bikes – scooter style
There are around four million electric two-wheelers in Beijing. Many of them are more like scooters than electric bikes, as they come without pedals, are over-speed, and over-weight. This kind of electric bikes cannot be registered and do not run legally on the road. However, you can see thousands of such electric motors rushing freely beside you.
Please note that in case of traffic accident, your health insurance might not cover the costs if you drive an electric bike without pedals, running more than 20 km per hour and weigh more than 40kg.
#3 New restrictions from 11th April 2016
Last year, electric two-wheelers were involved in 31,404 accidents in Beijing, with 113 fatalities and 21,423 injuries. The number of injured accounted for 36.7 percent of all road accident injuries.
To regulate traffic and reduce accidents, Beijing banned Electric two-wheel vehicles from Chang’an Jie and nine other major Beijing streets, beginning April 11, 2016. Violators face fines of RMB 20 per infraction, and confiscation of the vehicle if they refuse to pay.
Restricted roads
Except for Puhuangyu Road (near the Puhuangyu subway station on Line 5), all the prohibited roads are along Chang’an Avenue, which runs east and west past Tian’anmen Square: Chang’an Avenue (Jianguomen to Fuxingmen), Square East Road, Square West Road, Fuyou Road, Zhengyi Road, Fuxingmen Outer Avenue (Fuxingmen Bridge to Muxidi Bridge), Jianguomen Outer Avenue (Guomao Bridge to Jianguomen Bridge), Fuxing Road (Muxidi Bridge to Xinxing Bridge), Shijingshan, Road (Yuquan Road to north of Lugu East Street) Puhuangyu Road (Yuting Bridge to Liujiayao Bridge).
