Wisper launch DVSA approved full throttle eBikes
Wisper Bikes has announced a limited run of their Traditional range of e-bikes (806, 705 and 905) with a full throttle that will power the bikes up to 15.5mph without pedaling.
To be able to offer this capability Wisper Bikes has had a batch of its bikes tested by the DVSA and they have now been Type Approved as 250W Low Powered Mopeds.
250W LPM 250 Watt Low Powered Moped.
This is a sub-group of Low Powered Moped that meets the criteria laid down in the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983 (SI 1983 No. 1168) as amended by SI 2015 No. 24. The requirements are that the vehicle:
- Be fitted with pedals by means of which it is capable of being propelled.
- Be fitted with no motor other than an electric motor, which has a maximum continuous rated power, which does not exceed 250 watts and cannot propel the vehicle when it is travelling at more than 15.5 mph”
This means that these bikes can now be ridden legally on roads and private land within the UK at speeds of up to 15.5mph using just the throttle. These bikes will be sold directly from Wisper’s HQ in Sevenoaks, Kent with plans to roll out these bikes nationally over the coming year.
David Miall Founder and Director of Wisper Bikes says of the launch “I am particularly excited to be able to offer full throttle bikes again. They are more inclusive than standard eBikes, enabling those that need a little more help to discover, or return to the joys of cycling.”
Such bikes will also offer a quick, eco friendly and cost efficient option for city commuters faced with the dual whammy of rising fuel and transport costs, and some form of return to work ‘in office’.
Taking a pre and post pandemic view of cycling data, we can see that between 2015 and 2019 cycling in the UK accounted for 4% of commute to work trips. In 2021 this figure rose to a 6.7%.
Interestingly, 2021 data from Strava’s commuter focused Metro platform placed Manchester as the UK’s per capita leader on cycling in the UK. With its 400,000 recorded Strava Metro commutes, Manchester was narrowly ahead of Bristol, Newcastle, London and Cardiff when ranking the most popular cycling cities per capita in 2021.