Electric bicycles have taken off around the world in recent years but if you own one in France, modifying e-bikes carries huge penalties, Engadget reports.
Last week, a new statutory law came into effect in France as part of the nation’s highway code. It says that anyone found with an e-bike that has been tuned to exceed 25 km/h (15.5 mph) could face a fine of €30,000 (US$33,433), will get hit with three points on their driving license, and could face a prison sentence of up to one year.
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The new law doesn’t just apply to private owners of modified e-bikes. It also applies to bike shops and manufacturers. If anyone is found attempting to sell tuning equipment or selling tuned e-bikes, they can also be hit with a €30,000 fine and up to two years in jail.
It’s unlikely that punishments will be imposed to the full extent of the law, however, and it’s believed lawmakers view the punishments as a means of discouraging people from tuning their e-bikes.
EbikeTips reports that electric bicycle manufacturers across Europe are aiming to do their part to stamp out tuning. Bosch recently introduced anti-tuning technology on its 2020 motor systems. If a sensor detects that the bike has been tuned, an error code will be displayed and the bike will return to normal power levels. If the system detects are error three times, the bike will shut down completely and a dealer will need to diagnose the issue.
