Poland plans tighter checks on high-powered e-bikes and electric scooters
Poland is preparing stricter market surveillance and roadside checks for electric bicycles and scooters that exceed legal power or speed limits. Importers and sellers could face product withdrawals, while non-compliant vehicles may be classified as mopeds and require registration, insurance and a licence.
Government targets vehicles that exceed legal limits
Poland is preparing tighter rules for electric bicycles and scooters whose performance places them closer to mopeds or motorcycles than to the categories under which they are sold. Infrastructure Minister Dariusz Klimczak told TVP Info that the planned changes would cover users as well as importers and retailers. The government wants to prevent vehicles from being marketed as e-bikes or e-scooters when their actual technical specifications exceed the statutory limits.
Under current Polish rules, an electric bicycle’s auxiliary motor may provide no more than 250 W of continuous rated power, and assistance must stop above 25 km/h. An electric scooter is limited to 20 km/h. Krosno112.pl reports that some products already offer substantially higher performance when purchased, while others can be unlocked by changing controller settings or using other methods to increase speed.
More powers for inspectors and roadside enforcement
The Infrastructure Ministry is working on amendments covering vehicle type approval and technical requirements. A central element would be broader powers for the Transport Technical Supervision authority, known as TDT, to inspect vehicles and components placed on the Polish market, including goods offered online. Products found to be non-compliant could be withdrawn from sale. Liability would extend beyond importers to retailers offering equipment that does not meet the applicable standards.
Enforcement agencies also face the practical problem of determining a vehicle’s real power and performance. Manufacturer declarations may not match the product as sold, and owners can alter settings after purchase. Citing Interia Biznes, Krosno112.pl says police are expected to receive specialist dynamometers for testing electric two-wheelers. Municipal guards would also gain wider inspection powers. A vehicle falling outside the legal definition of an e-bike or e-scooter could instead be classified as a moped, bringing requirements such as registration, third-party liability insurance, a technical inspection and the appropriate driving entitlement.
Accident data adds urgency to the proposal
The planned crackdown follows a rise in accidents involving electric-scooter users. According to figures reported by Krosno112.pl, users were involved in 1,158 accidents in 2025, in which 11 people died and 1,055 were injured. The number of such accidents was 54% higher than in 2024. During the first seven months of 2026, police recorded 828 accidents, compared with 702 in the same period a year earlier. Fatalities increased from five to 11, while injuries rose from 638 to 745. In 2025, the people involved also included 243 children aged 7 to 14.
Poland has already introduced additional restrictions in 2026. Since March 3, children under 13 cannot independently use electric scooters or personal transport devices on public roads. Since June 3, people under 16 have been required to wear a helmet when riding a bicycle, e-bike, electric scooter or personal transport device. The latest proposal shifts attention from user conduct to the products themselves. The ministry says ordinary compliant e-bikes and scooters are not the target; the focus is on vehicles with excessive power or speed, or restrictions that can easily be removed. The new rules could take effect in spring 2027, requiring importers and sellers to verify products more carefully before placing them on the Polish market.