Working for a land manager, the only way that we have endorsed the use of E Bikes on trails is that they must adhere to the Australian standard (which was adopted from Europe).
This standard allows these vehicles to be still defined as bicycles under the appropriate road traffic acts.
If it isn't legally defined as a bicycle, then it is a two wheeled vehicle with a motor aka a motorbike
A brief except from the information paper that I composed for endorsement...
What are E-Bikes?
An E-Bike (or Pedalec) is an electric motor-assisted bicycle.
The assistance from the motor allows riders to travel further for the same effort or to enable less fit or physically impaired riders to commute to or explore areas that they otherwise may not get to see.
Under the South Australian Road Traffic Act, E-Bikes which meet the European standard EN15194 are classified and policed exactly the same as regular bicycles.
There are a few key features to the standard:
- The bike must employ a pedal assist system (no throttle).
- The electric motor must not exceed 250w in transmitted power.
- The electric pedal assist must cut out at 25kmh.
Can an E-Bike be ridden in our National Parks?
Yes. Because they are defined as bicycles, E-Bikes are allowed to use any track or trail which has been set aside for use by bicycles.