Re: (ET) Electric Bikes Now Legal in Ontario

[David C Robie <mycroftxx1 juno com>]

Thanks Darryl for this good news.  Ebikes are not known and used
everywhere but they should be.  It makes no sense to start up a 200 hp
vehicle to go get a jug of milk a couple miles away - or to do a 5 mile
(each way) daily commute.  Have had much experience with Ebikes, both
newer and the older designed ones, and my personal belief is that every
family should own at least one for those short necessary trips. And more
than saving cold engine wear and tear and fuel hogging, they are fun ! 
MA law allows them, calls them  'helper motors' on bikes up to 17 mph
with no license, just a helmet.

Regards

Dave
Weymouth MA



   

On Wed, 04 Oct 2006 21:03:00 -0400 Darryl McMahon <darryl econogics com>
writes:
> Not exactly electric tractor information, but about another type of 
> smaller EV.  This has taken a lot of my time for the past three 
> years, 
> so I thought I would share.
> ****************************************
> 
> After a multi-year campaign spearheaded by the Electric Vehicle 
> Council 
> of Ottawa (EVCO), the province of Ontario has agreed to establish a 
> pilot project under the auspices of the Ontario Ministry of 
> Transportation (MTO).
> 
>       The pilot project permits any Ontario resident age sixteen 
> years or 
> older to use an electric-assisted bike that meets the standards set 
> out 
> by Transport Canada for Power Assist Bicycles.  Operators are 
> required 
> to wear a bicycle helmet.  The pilot is expected to run for three 
> years, 
> during which time MTO will monitor usage with a view to how well 
> this 
> vehicle class blends into the existing vehicle mix in the province.
> 
>       The recognition of e-bikes under the Ontario Highway Traffic 
> Act (HTA) 
> due to the pilot project is expected to clear up the confusion in 
> Ontario that has required some Ontario residents to register their 
> e-bikes as mopeds (motor-assisted bicycles).  The recently released 
> 2006 
> MTO Cycling Skills booklet mentions the PAB pilot project.  PABs 
> have 
> been legal in most of the rest of Canada for several years.
> 
>       EVCO is grateful for the support of Ontario Transportation 
> Minister 
> Donna Cansfield, who only recently moved to this portfolio, for 
> helping 
> make the pilot project a reality before the 2006 cycling season is 
> over. 
>   Phil McNeely, MPP for Ottawa-Orléans and Parliamentary Assistant 
> to 
> Minister Cansfield has also been supportive of our initiative over 
> the 
> years.
> 
>       The standards for electric-assist bikes were established so 
> that they 
> would be identical to conventional bicycles in performance and 
> operation.  Due to their use of electric motors to provide 
> assistance to 
> the cyclist, they are virtually silent and produce no emissions in 
> operation.  The electric assist allows cyclists to extend their 
> operating range and climb hills, and enhances their confidence to 
> take 
> on longer trips.  The standards only permit the electric assist to 
> provide power up to speeds of 32 km/h, comparable to what many 
> cyclists 
> can accomplish without assistance.  Because the e-bikes are 
> conventional 
> other than the addition of the electric-assist capability, they can 
> be 
> used on bike paths, on bike carriers attached to transit vehicles, 
> and 
> secured in standard bike racks.
> 
>       Adding these zero-emissions vehicles to the Ontario road mix 
> will allow 
> some motorists to leave their cars and trucks at home, reducing the 
> amount of air, water, noise and thermal pollution associated with 
> their 
> use.  Because the e-bikes encourage the rider to contribute human 
> power 
> as well for longer range or higher speeds, health benefits will 
> result 
> for the individuals as well from the opportunity to exercise that 
> fits 
> into their current daily schedule.
> 
>       Due to the efficiency of these machines that use about 
> 1/100th of a kWh 
> per km - about $0.001 worth, the additional demand for electricity 
> in 
> the province will be undetectable.  For a 20 km trip, the e-bike 
> will 
> use less electricity than a hair-dryer used for 10 minutes.  
> Further, 
> most charging is expected to happen overnight, when the Ontario grid 
> has 
> a surplus of generating capacity.  By displacing a conventional car 
> for 
> that 20 km trip, 4 to 6 kg of CO2 are kept out of the atmosphere.  
> Of 
> course, emissions such as carbon monoxide, a poison; nitrogen 
> oxides, a 
> smog pre-cursor; sulphur oxides, which cause acid rain; volatile 
> organic 
> compounds, a smog pre-cursor; small particulates, which are 
> respiratory 
> irritants; and, other toxins and carcinogens are also reduced 
> dramatically.  Most importantly, these emissions are removed from 
> our 
> urban areas at ground level, precisely where most of us are living 
> and 
> breathing.
> 
>       EVCO member Juergen Weichert deserves special credit for his 
> steady 
> efforts to keep this issue moving forward, and attending a workshop 
> in 
> Toronto to represent EVCO's position.  Juergen's company, Acclivity 
> Solutions, markets electric bikes, conversion kits and components, 
> including Bionx and Crystalite products.
> 
> The Ontario government announcement can be seen here:
>
http://ogov.newswire.ca/ontario/GPOE/2006/10/04/c4982.html?lmatch=&lang=_
e.html
> 
> The Electric Vehicle Council of Ottawa Press Release =========
> October 4, 2006 (Toronto)
> For Immediate Release
> 
> The Electric Vehicle Council of Ottawa (EVCO) applauds today's
> announcement by Ontario Transportation Minister Donna Cansfield to
> permit electric-assist bicycles on Ontario roadways under a pilot 
> project.
> 
> Electric-assist bicycles (officially called Power Assisted Bicycles 
> or
> PABs) are bicycles with a small electric motor that are limited to a
> maximum speed of 32km/h and a maximum power of 500 Watts. Electric
> bicycles are zero-emission vehicles. Anyone in Ontario who is 16 
> years
> of age or older may ride an electric bike during the pilot project 
> which
> is expected to last three years.
> 
> "Many Ontario citizens have been waiting eagerly to drive their 
> electric
> bicycles legally or to acquire one" notes Etienne Gibeault, EVCO
> President. "We are thrilled that these electric vehicles are now 
> legal."
> 
> Electric-assist bicycles are available, affordable and are as easy 
> to
> use as a standard bicycle. The electric motor and battery pack 
> provide
> cyclists with clean, quiet and non-polluting power -- ideal for hill
> climbing, extending one's range, assisting those with mobility
> impairments and reducing the effort associated with cycling (a bonus 
> for
> those without shower facilities at work). Electric bike riders can 
> get
> as much exercise as they choose without worrying about longer 
> distances
> or over-exertion. Electric bikes allow the rider to pedal as much as
> desired while providing power-assist when required.
> 
> Electric bike riders are now able to do their part to reduce 
> greenhouse
> gas emissions, improve air quality, and stay fit without having to 
> worry
> about breaking the law. EVCO congratulates the Minister for taking 
> this
> step and looks forward to a time when a variety of electric vehicles 
> are
> legal on Ontario roads.
> 
> "Relatively inexpensive electric vehicles are now within reach of 
> the
> average consumer," says Etienne Gibeault. "This is a viable 
> alternative
> for Ontarians who want something more than the traditional means of
> transportation."
> 
> ****************************************
> 
> EVCO is a voluntary, non-profit organization that promotes the use 
> of
> electric vehicles in applications where they are appropriate. 
> Electric
> vehicles are viable transportation alternatives that are ecological,
> economical, practical and available. EVCO has been campaigning for 
> the
> legalization of electric bicycles in Ontario for over 3 years.
> 
> Spokesperson: Juergen Weichert (613) 746-7685
> e-mail: info evco ca
> 
> The Electric Vehicle Council of Ottawa
> P.O.Box 4044, Station "E"
> Ottawa, ON, Canada
> K1S 5B1
> www.evco.ca
>
=========================================================================
> 
>       (Darryl McMahon is the President of Econogics, an e-bike 
> owner, and a 
> member of EVCO, the EAA, and Electric Mobility Canada as well as a 
> long-time proponent and owner of zero-emissions electric-drive 
> vehicles.)
> 
> -- 
> Darryl McMahon                  http://www.econogics.com
> It's your planet.  If you won't look after it, who will?
> 
> 
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