NOT INSURED: Electric bike seized by police after colliding with taxi in London

Image credit: MPS Specials (Twitter)

An electric bike was seized by police officers after colliding with a London taxi without the correct insurance.

Metropolitan Police officers attended the incident in Southwark on Saturday 16 July after being flagged down.

Electric bikes are known as ‘electrically assisted pedal cycles’ (EAPCs). Riders do not need a licence to ride one and it does not need to be registered, taxed or insured.

Whilst anyone can ride an electric bike if they are 14 or over, there are some requirements the bike must meet to be exempt from insurance and tax.

An EAPC must have pedals that can be used to propel it. It must show either the power output or the manufacturer of the motor.

It must also show either the battery’s voltage or the maximum speed of the bike. The electric motor must have a maximum power output of 250 watts and should not be able to propel the bike when it’s travelling more than 15.5mph.

If a bike meets the EAPC requirements it’s classed as a normal pedal bike. This means you can ride it on cycle paths and anywhere else pedal bikes are allowed.

Any other electric bike that does not meet the EAPC rules is classed as a motorcycle or moped and needs to be registered and taxed. The rider will also need a driving licence to ride one and a crash helmet must be worn.

A Met Police Special Constabulary spokesperson said: “Yesterday the Charlton Vehicle Enforcement Team were out in Southwark when we were flagged down to a Road Traffic Collision between this E-Bike and a Taxi.

“This E-Bike does not comply with the law and requires insurance. As he did not have insurance, the E-Bike was seized.”