I visited Xiamen in March 2025. At first, the large number of e-bikes on the road appeared intimidating. But I wanted to understand why there were so many in Xiamen, Quanzhou and the rest of China. I was certain there were many benefits.
For instance, I met several elderly people who were ‘limping’ but used these e- bikes as personal transport devices to help them move around.
I rented an electric scooter which looked like a mini-Vespa, with a green registration plate, when we visited Jimei. This suburb is dotted with several museums and historical buildings spread over a 2km radius, roughly the size of the George Town heritage zone in Penang.
The light electric-scooter was easier to ride than my pedal bicycle and carried two adults comfortably. It took us 20 minutes to commute effortlessly between the underground station, the historical buildings and the museum. If we had walked, it would have taken us at least 60 minutes.
I did some research online to learn why e-bikes are so popular in China. Below are some key points from the Institute of Transportation and Development Policy website from an article “As e-bikes surge, we need to address both the opportunities and challenges”.
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E-bikes, or electrically powered two- and three-wheeled cycles…can cover longer distances than traditional pedal bikes and require less effort. E-bikes are slower and lighter than other two-wheelers like mopeds and motorcycles and can be used in most cycle lanes. E-bikes can replace vehicle trips in many cases, significantly reducing carbon emissions and traffic congestion while contributing to more livable, accessible cities…
Despite their potential, many city and national governments have yet to define e-bikes clearly, require quality standards, or state where and how riders should safely use them. This lack of clarity has confused riders and retailers alike….
One primary recommendation is for governments to start to view e-bikes – and cycling more broadly – as an essential element of a holistic urban transport network. In regions like China and Brazil where e-bike usage is rapidly growing, we can gain important insights into challenges and opportunities for their uptake. China already has hundreds of millions of e-bikes on its streets, primarily deployed across bikeshare, delivery fleets, and individual owners. This has required local governments to set clear quality standards, safety regulations, and mobility plans…
It is important to note that China’s e-bikes commonly feature a throttle, allowing motors to provide power without riders needing to pedal. Therefore, these fleets of e-bikes are more like scooters or light mopeds, rather than traditional electric-assist pedal bikes, but are still required by national regulations to only have a maximum speed of 25 km/h along with other maximums for weight, engine power, and battery voltage. Collectively, these forms of e-bikes represent a major mode of micromobility for millions of Chinese.
Back in Malaysia, such electric scooters are banned because they do not have pedals.
In April 2022:
The Malaysian Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, announced that e-scooters and other personal micro-mobility vehicles (PMDs) are banned from public roads. While electric bicycles are allowed, they must adhere to specific specifications, such as being equipped with functional pedals and a maximum speed of 25km/h. The ban aims to improve road safety …. (Google Search AI)
In small towns such as Sekinchan, many workers commute using their e-bikes some with ‘for show’ pedals, most probably bought online for around RM1,000 and not registered.
I don’t know about their quality and performance. But retailing at around RM9,000, they are definitely much more affordable than top selling ‘kapcai’ (which reach speeds of 140km/h!).
So I propose that the authorities formulate, design and define Malaysian standards for electric scooters, e-bikes and personal transport devices.
As in China, allow riders with a certain licence (eg B3) to register them for road use and regulate their use.
The standards, licence and regulations should be jointly drafted by stakeholders under the coordination of the Road Transport Department, a parliamentary select committee, civil society groups and the All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia (APPGM).
In part 2, I will discuss the registration of and regulations on pedal-assisted e-bikes in Singapore. How do you think Malaysia can regulate and register e-bikes and electric scooters? Or should it continue with the blanket ban on e-bikes and allow only pedal-assisted e-bikes?
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