The battery and the motor in an e-Bike result in a number of risks that do not exist in a conventional bicycle. In five chapters you can find information on the set of European rules and regulations that apply in all 27 member states regarding e-Bikes.
Companies active in producing, distributing and selling electric bicycles or components of electric bicycles need to be aware of these rules and regulations and should observe them.
One of the major risks involved in the transport of batteries and equipment with batteries is short-circuit as a result of battery terminals coming into contact with other batteries, metal objects, or conductive surfaces. Therefore, their transport has to comply with very strict rules, which have been internationally harmonised.
Any Lithium-Ion battery over 100 Wh is classified as CLASS 9 - MISCELLANEOUS DANGEROUS GOODS under the dangerous good regulations for transport by road (ADR) and by air (IATA & IACO). Lithium-Ion batteries for pedelecs and E-bikes are more than 100 Watt-hours. So, their transport has to comply with these regulations. The UN number for Lithium-Ion batteries is 3480, if the batteries are contained in or packed with equipment the UN number is 3481. These numbers identify hazardous substances and articles in the framework of international transport.
To ship goods in the CLASS 9 category means that the battery needs to be tested in accordance with the UN Manual of tests and criteria, Part III, subsection 38.3. Furthermore, specific procedures related to handling, packing, labelling and shipping have to be followed.
If a company handles and packs dangerous goods at its own premises, a trained “Dangerous Goods Advisor” is required onsite to oversee that the goods are packed in the correct materials and to declare the goods safe to travel. It is also possible to hire a specialist company to pack the goods and to fill out a ‘Dangerous Goods Note’. It is compulsory for Dangerous Goods shipments to be accompanied by this document.
The regulations regarding the road and airfreight of Lithium-Ion batteries are very similar. The same Wh ruling, documentation and labeling requirements that apply to airfreight also apply to goods transported via road freight. The regulations do not only concern transport of batteries from manufacturer to distributor, but all transport including for instance the return of a defective battery by the consumer to the dealer or by the dealer to his supplier.
Click here for more on:
- EU Regulations for e-Bikes (Part 1) Type-approval legislation and CEN standards
- EU Regulations for e-Bikes (Part 2) Machinery Directive
- EU Regulations for e-Bikes (Part 3) Electromagnetic Compatibility
- EU Regulations for e-Bikes (Part 4) Battery Transportation
- EU Regulations for e-Bikes (Part 5) Battery Directive
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