E-bike power limits to be halved after rider dies in Sydney crash

Premier Chris Minns says he wants to halve the power limit of e-bikes for sale in NSW but did not detail how the government would deal with existing bikes which are hugely popular with Sydney teenagers.

The announcement was made just hours after an e-bike rider in his 30s was killed in a collision with a garbage truck in Ultimo on Tuesday.

Speaking with 2GB’s Ben Fordham shortly after the fatal crash, Minns announced plans to reduce the legal power limit of e-bikes from 500 watts to 250 watts, bringing NSW into line with the rest of the country. Minns said bikes can currently travel between 50 and 60 km/h, which would be reduced to 25-30 km/h.

“We want children out of the house. We want them off electronic devices. We want them playing with their friends, but if they’ve got hotted-up bikes that are as quick as a motorbike, it can be incredibly dangerous,” Minns said.

The government will also review the definition of an e-bike to close loopholes allowing “motorcycle-level devices” to be sold as e-bikes.

“When someone’s zooming past you quicker than a motorbike, and they’re definitely not pedalling, they’re just flying, clearly we’re out of whack here,” Minns said. “It’s going to lead to people being killed. That’s already happening, regrettably.”

Minns could not say what would happen to those who had already purchased a 500-watt bike ahead of Christmas. The government is still working out a transition plan, and at this stage the change would only happen at a retail level.

The premier told 2GB that people may be grandfathered into the new scheme.

“I’m not going to make a criminal out of someone that’s followed the law, bought a bike in good faith,” Minns said. “It’s not perfect. I’m not suggesting otherwise – would have preferred that the 500-watt limit wasn’t in place anyway, but unfortunately, it is.”

NSW previously had a 250-watt limit on bikes, which was increased to 500 watts by the previous Coalition government. The minister responsible, Rob Stokes, told The Daily Telegraph the increase was to give riders more torque to get up challenging hills, particularly for those with restricted mobility.

Freshly anointed opposition leader Kellie Sloane said she supported the government’s move, but said more needed to be done to crack down on dangerous riding.

The Australian Financial Review reported last month that NSW Ambulance has treated more than 770 patients for e-bike related injuries since the start of 2025.

Pedestrian Council of Australia founder Harold Scruby said turning the clock back will be difficult with so many overpowered e-bikes in the community. Scruby said the problem wasn’t so much the 500-watt bikes, but bikes powered at 1000 watts that were illegally modified on Sydney’s streets.

After Tuesday’s fatal crash between the e-bike rider and a 28-year-old garbage-truck driver, police said it was believed the rider was not wearing a helmet. A report will be prepared for the coroner.

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