E-bikes are one of the key drivers of electromobility in Switzerland and a central component of the energy and transport transition. To ensure this success in the long term, it is necessary to maintain the legal status of e-bikes whilst clarifying the existing regulations.
An e-bike (EPAC or light motorised bicycle), just like a purely muscle-powered bicycle, embodies active mobility in practice. The user’s physical effort has a direct influence on the bike’s handling and movement. Crucial to «active mobility» – and thus to the equivalence between a purely muscle-powered bicycle and an e-bike – is a sensible balance between the force applied to the pedals and the assistance provided by the electric motor. According to the Sport Switzerland 2020 study, around 40% of the Swiss population cycle. A further 8% regularly hop on a mountain bike. Thanks to electrification, further sections of the population have switched to active and healthy mobility. This is a key factor in doubling the number of kilometres cycled in Switzerland, a target the federal government has set itself in the Roadmap for Cycling by 2035.
It is therefore essential that e-bikes in the 25 km/h category remain a straightforward and attractive means of transport, and that the equivalence between e-bikes and purely muscle-powered bicycles is maintained. For this reason, Velosuisse, the Association of Swiss Bicycle Manufacturers and Suppliers, advocates defining and clarifying the performance parameters of e-bikes in such a way that their bicycle-like handling is retained – for the safety of users and to ensure peaceful coexistence bothand off-road.
15 June 2026