They look like bicycles, are legally mopeds and launch like rockets: speed pedelecs are the Ferraris of pedal-powered vehicles. Their special legal status is associated with numerous regulations. Some in the bicycle scene think that the legislator wants to exclude this type of vehicle from traffic; they could be an alternative to the car, especially on commuter routes of around 20 kilometers. So what exactly are S-Pedelecs? And what do users have to consider? The most important questions and answers in brief:
What is an S pedelec?
Pedelec means “Pedal Electric Cycle”. This means that as soon as cyclists pedal, an electric motor supports the drive. With a normal pedelec, however, the support switches off at a speed of around 25 kilometers per hour. For the purposes of the law, they are a bicycle even though they have a motor. It’s different with the S-Pedelec: The S stands for “Speed”. And speed pedelecs support the pedaling driver up to a speed of 45 km/h. According to the law, S-Pedelecs are therefore no longer bicycles, but mopeds. Laws that do not apply to normal pedelecs and bicycles therefore apply to fast pedelecs. Anyone who wants to buy an S-Pedelec should therefore check carefully whether such a vehicle makes sense.
Who is allowed to ride an S-Pedelec?
A driving license of at least class AM is required for an S-Pedelec. Colloquially, this is called a “scooter driver’s license”. Since mid-2021, it has been possible to do this in all federal states from the age of 15. If you have a car or motorcycle driver’s license, you can also drive speed pedelecs, because they also cover class AM. There is no license plate requirement, and S-Pedelecs are also exempt from tax and the main inspection. However, liability insurance is mandatory – a corresponding insurance sticker must be attached to the S-Pedelec.
How much does the insurance cost?
The annual premium for 16-year-olds at Allianz, for example, is 78 euros. The premium generally decreases with age because experienced road users are statistically less likely to be involved in accidents than beginners. Liability insurance is sufficient for inexpensive or used S-Pedelecs. If you have a new, high-quality speed pedelec, you should consider taking out partial comprehensive insurance. This is voluntary and covers, for example, a theft.
Is a helmet compulsory?
Yes. In contrast to bicycles and normal pedelecs, the law stipulates that helmets must be worn on speed pedelecs. Curiously, however, the law does not stipulate whether a bicycle helmet is sufficient or whether it has to be a motorcycle helmet. “The legislature has never tackled the issue just so as not to disrupt the transition to electromobility,” says Siegfried Brockmann, head of accident research at the insurers. He assumes that S-Pedelec riders who wear a bicycle helmet will not get in trouble with the police and should get off lightly in the event of an insurance claim.
Where can you ride S-Pedelecs? And where not?
The cycle paths marked with the well-known blue signs are taboo for S-Pedelec users. The same applies to field and forest paths that are marked with signs prohibiting motor vehicles. This means that many of the paths that are usually used for cycling are flat. Speed pedelecs may not be parked on the sidewalk either, but must be parked in a car parking space – if necessary even with a parking disc or parking permit. There is a minimum tread depth for tires, and speed pedelecs are not allowed to tow a trailer or ride on public transport. In addition to the illuminated insurance number plate, an operating permit, rear-view mirror, horn and side stand are mandatory.
How exactly does an S-Pedelec ride?
For this article, the Swiss manufacturer Stromer provided SZ with an S-Pedelec, model ST3, for test purposes. It quickly became clear that anyone who thinks that an S-pedelec is simply a pedelec that is twice as fast is completely misunderstanding the situation. Speed pedelecs offer a different way of getting around: cycling with the dynamics of a small motorbike. In built-up areas, the S-Pedelec is glued to the bumper of many a car in front. On the S-Pedelec you no longer cycle as fast as you can, but as the traffic allows. From one traffic light to the next it is as quick as driving a car. In 30 km/h zones you have to pull yourself together not to be too fast. If the traffic is flowing and there is no speed limit, that means: Tour de France mode. It’s different on the roads outside of town: you’re too slow there to be able to keep up with the cars. Sometimes you get into (life)threatening situations. And switching to a parallel cycle path is forbidden. In any case, you should adapt your driving style to the higher speed. This includes, among other things: braking earlier, slowing down in blind spots and paying more attention to other road users. It takes a little getting used to, after that it’s rocket-style cycling.
How much do speed pedelecs cost?
Speed pedelecs are not cheap. The ST3 from Stromer costs 8600 euros; However, it is the Porsche among the S-Pedelecs. The manufacturer Cube based in the Upper Palatinate offers entry-level models from 4000 euros. The middle class goes up to 6000 euros. The rear wheel hub motor on the Stromer has an output of 820 watts, a torque of 44 Newton meters and is very quiet. The capacity of the battery is 814 watt hours, which was enough for up to 130 kilometers in the test. The battery is charged in four hours and 45 minutes. Compared to pedelecs, speed pedelecs have a more powerful motor, a larger battery and a more stable frame. This not only makes them more expensive, but above all heavier: The Stromer ST3 weighs 33 kilograms and thus up to ten kilograms more than a conventional pedelec.
For what purpose is an S-Pedelec suitable?
Especially for commuters who have to travel longer distances to work. The greatest strength of S-Pedelecs is their speed, so they could easily replace cars in nearby commuter traffic, says Anika Meenken, spokeswoman for cycling and mobility education at the ecological traffic club (VCD). The ADAC also says that S-Pedelecs are “especially well suited for commuting distances of up to 20 kilometers (single)”. This distance can be covered without excessive physical exertion. “For longer distances, however, a charging break may be necessary,” explains the ADAC. The automobile club has published a detailed test of nine S-Pedelec types on its website www.adac.de. The SZ test with the Stromer showed that it takes half the time to get to work in the morning compared to a pedelec. You arrive as if you had been on a motorbike. It’s fun and puts you in a good mood.
Are S-Pedelecs a threat to road safety?
Mountainous Switzerland is regarded as a pioneer country for this type of vehicle, where the share of S-Pedelecs in the market for electrically assisted bicycles is twelve percent. In Germany, however, speed pedelecs have so far been exotic with a market share of 0.5 percent. And because there are so few speed pedelecs in this country, “no scientifically valid statements can be made as to whether these vehicles endanger other road users or the riders themselves,” says accident researcher Brockmann. In his estimation, the number of speed pedelecs in Germany is so small because people don’t want to go that fast. Pedelec speed is enough for the vast majority: “Only a specific and small target group wants more speed, and they are certainly not 70 plus,” says Brockmann. Younger, sporty drivers could control the speed, which is why he is relaxed when it comes to road safety, also because of the very small numbers.
Could the rules for speed pedelecs change in the future?
Maybe. Various associations are currently exerting corresponding pressure. The VCD sees them as “a sensible and effective addition to a climate- and health-friendly mobility mix – provided that politicians create the right framework conditions,” says VCD expert Meenken. She believes that if the legislature were to change the rules, many drivers could be persuaded to switch. For example, the ban on cycle, forest and field paths for S-Pedelecs is comprehensible neither for the VCD nor for other associations from the bicycle industry. They are calling for a reform of the rigid road user obligation. Alexander Rosenthal from the VSF dealer association (Verbund Service und Fahrrad) says that S-Pedelecs should be “allowed on cycle paths at a reduced speed, and when fully extended they can swim with the flow of traffic on the street”.
Are there also critics of a possible easing?
Yes. Walter Eichendorf, President of the German Road Safety Council (DVR), is skeptical about a possible relaxation of the regulations for speed pedelecs. In his view, it is not without reason that the legislature has classified fast pedelecs as motor vehicles: “The speeds that can be achieved with an S-pedelec are not compatible with the speeds of pedestrians and cyclists and can be particularly dangerous for older people or pose a danger to children,” he says. From the point of view of the cycling association ADFC, speed pedelecs don’t really fit into any category as vehicles: “As motor vehicles, speed pedelecs belong on the road or on cycle paths specially approved for them outside of town,” says ADFC national manager Ann-Kathrin Schneider. The club demands a speed limit of 30 km/h for S-Pedelecs in built-up areas so that cyclists and pedestrians can travel more safely.
A few years ago, the city administration in Tübingen designated a network of paths especially for S-Pedelecs. All central destinations in the city center should be accessible with the fast pedelecs. The network is about 150 kilometers long, but only half of it is on cycle paths, the rest on roads. In narrow and dangerous places such as underpasses, a maximum speed of 30 km/h has been introduced for S-Pedelecs and signposted accordingly. So far, according to the city, there have hardly been any conflicts.
Editor’s note: Some of the products presented in “Mobile Life” were made available to the editors by the manufacturers for testing purposes and/or presented on trips to which journalists were invited.