Association members endorse the ZIV’s position on regulations for EPACs

Berlin, 1.10.2025 | Electrically assisted pedal cycles (EPACs) are no longer a niche product. They are everyday mobility in action and at the same time offer countless social benefits – from helping to improve people’s health and quality of life to contributing to climate protection. Today, there are over 16 million EPACS on the roads in Germany. Their success stems from the freedom in their use: no insurance plate or official registration is necessary and there is no helmet obligation. «This special freedom to use EPACs is no coincidence. Rather, it is the result of technical and legislative regulations,» tells ZIV CEO Burkhard Stork. The association represents around 140 leading companies from the industry. «E-bikes only provide assistance when you pedal and therefore remain what is known as active mobility. Pedal and you move; stop pedalling and you coast to a stop. Precisely this principle has been key to the success of e-bikes – and is exactly what we want to preserve for society and our industry in the future,» Stork continues. The ZIV’s much-discussed position on EPACs is based on this responsibility: «If technological advances in the bicycle industry outpace the existing regulations, then the industry must, in its own interest, ensure that safety and acceptance are maintained,» emphasises Tim Salatzki, Chief Technology Officer at the ZIV.
Overwhelming support from the industry
In recent weeks, a task force comprising ZIV member companies revisited the position carefully developed over the past two years and published in April 2025. The outcome was clear: an overwhelming majority of the participating ZIV member companies once again explicitly endorsed the proposed technical parameters, giving the association a clear mandate. Drive system manufacturers were initially involved in the task force; they were later joined by manufacturers of complete bicycles. «Thirteen drive system manufacturers were involved and, through their German and European representatives, the majority of global bicycle manufacturers. Some votes were unanimous, others were passed with a majority that consistently exceeded 80%. The idea that the ZIV has isolated itself with this position – as some have suggested – is simply nonsense,» Burkhard Stork asserts. The vote on the status of EPACs was unanimous: «The German bicycle industry is united in its view that e-bikes must remain bicycles in both the technical and legal sense,» Stork adds.
No restrictions – but clear definitions
Time and again, it is claimed that technical parameters such as a maximum assistance ratio, assistance power or total weight would hinder innovation in the industry or «push certain vehicle types out of the market». In reality, however, they simply reflect the status quo:
  • Over 95% of all e-bikes sold today operate well below the maximum assistance power proposed by the ZIV.
  • Bicycles weighing more than 300 kg have different riding dynamics and cannot be classified as classic bicycles.
«Our aim is not to slow down innovation or entrepreneurial activity, but to ensure that EPACs can continue to be used in the future without insurance plates, a driving licence or infrastructure conflicts,» stresses technology expert Tim Salatzki. The proposed parameters are not meant to create new hurdles, but rather to provide necessary clarification across the industry. They would clarify grey areas that exist in the regulations and prevent a few extreme cases from disrupting the entire system. «We intentionally only specify what has already proven successful in the past – and bring the past success of e-bikes into the future with clear and comprehensible technical guidelines for all involved. If someone already sees these technical guidelines as a limitation, they should consider whether they are really talking about e-bikes or perhaps about potential motor vehicles,» says association CEO Stork.
Special vehicles need their own appropriate regulations
Cargo bikes used commercially and inclusive mobility vehicles are integral to future mobility. The ZIV does not wish to restrict these, but rather to develop and support them in a targeted manner. These vehicles deserve their own appropriate categories, rather than being hidden within the «e- bike» classification. Only in this way can we ensure lasting acceptance among road users, authorities and policymakers.
Innovation needs clarity – not unlimited freedom
Today, innovations in the e-bike sector no longer focus on the maximum possible wattage, but rather on aspects such as efficiency, smart control, accessibility for all user groups, connectivity, safety and maintenance intelligence. «We therefore challenge the belief established in the industry that more power automatically means more progress. Clear categories are needed to maintain social and political acceptance in the long term,» concludes Burkhard Stork.
ZIV – German Bicycle Industry
The ZIV is the national representative and a strong voice for the German and international bicycle industry, including importers and wholesalers as well as established businesses and start-ups from the entire bicycle ecosystem. As an industry association, the ZIV brings together and represents the interests of around 140 member companies vis-à-vis lawmakers in the EU and Germany, the German government, authorities, media, institutions and organisations. Around ninety percent of the bicycles and e-bikes produced in Germany in 2024 were from ZIV member companies, which export 1.3 million units every year in addition to sales on the domestic market.
ZIV press contact
Pablo Ziller, ZIV – German Bicycle Industry | Reinhardtstraße 7, 10117 Berlin | Tel.: +49 30 439 735 773 | Mobile: +49 170 734 23 72, presse@ziv-zweirad.de