Ontario’s current micro e-vehicle legislation is dangerous, and someone is going to be seriously hurt or killed. Not only is the legislation unsafe, but it is also biased against gas-powered equivalent vehicles and mobility aids. On top of that, a patchwork of municipal bylaws makes it a chaotic mess.
None of the e-vehicles shown above requires a driver’s license or insurance to be used on either public roads or sidewalks in most parts of Ontario. For example, because it is classified as a mobility device, under current legislation, it is perfectly legal for a vision-impaired adult to drive the 670lb Gio Bommer buggy (bottom left in photo above) at 29 kph on a dark, rainy night, down most sidewalks in Ontario without a license or insurance.
E-bikes that are restricted to speeds up to 32 kph can also be driven without a license or insurance on most roads in Ontario by anyone over the age of 16. Yet the 49cc, 3 Hp (smaller engine than most push lawn mowers) gas scooter shown below would require a motorcycle license, insurance and registration if driven in Ontario, even if it was equipped with a governor to keep the max speed below 32 kph.
This 4-stroke, gas-powered scooter is equivalent, both in power and weight, to Canadian e-bikes that do not require a license or insurance. However, because it is gas-powered, insurance and a license are required in Canada. The scooter sells for US $658.95 compared to over CDN $2,000.00 for a similar e-bike version. (add is from Walmart in the US)
From a safety standpoint, in a collision, speed and weight are the only factors. Whether the vehicle is powered by gas or battery is irrelevant. If an e-bike is not considered dangerous enough to require a license and insurance, neither is this gas-powered scooter, provided it is equipped with a 32 kph governor. Sure, governors can be removed, but it is also easy to swap out a motor controller on an e-bike so it can also exceed its legal speed.
Battery technology for micro-vehicles is nowhere near that of a Tesla, making them impractical and expensive to use for regular transportation. Many still come with lead-acid batteries, the same technology used in car batteries over the past 75 years. Even lithium-ion batteries don’t work well in cold weather and should not be charged outside when the temperature is below 0 degrees Celsius. Neither of them gives a reliable reading as to how much charge is left. 5 bars of power can drop to 2 or 3 on a hill, then go back to 4 or 5 on level ground. Batteries are often not easy to remove, so without a power source nearby, and a couple of hours, a dead battery means you are stranded.
Ontario also needs to eliminate the patchwork of Municipal legislation. Imagine being able to drive your car legally in Toronto but not in Mississauga. We need one logical set of laws for the province based on safety and logic, that are not biased by the source of power, environment, or medical reasons.
New legislation should look something like this:
-Any motorized vehicle, gas or electric, that can not exceed 9 km, regardless of weight, does not require a license or insurance and can be used on sidewalks.
-Any motorized vehicle, gas or electric, with a maximum speed between 10 kph and 25 kph, gas or electric, under 250lbs, does not require a license or insurance (rider must be a minimum of 16 years old). Can be used on road or bike lanes, but not on sidewalks.
-Any vehicle that can exceed 25 kph or weighs more than 250 lbs should require a license and insurance and not be allowed in bike lanes or on sidewalks.
Including gas-powered vehicles that meet these conditions would give people more freedom with a safe, cheap and more practical solution to getting around, ease congestion in cities and make better use of bike lanes.
Dave Lister
listerlogic.com