Electric fatbikes are causing a stir in the Netherlands, leading to calls for stricter regulations amid media scrutiny and legal investigations. While some models comply with a 25 km/h speed limit, others, often from China, can be modified to exceed this speed. La Souris, a major retailer, proposes limiting speeds to 15 km/h to enhance safety. However, the company faces controversy due to past allegations of selling illegal models, raising questions about consumer behavior and brand trust.
Electric Fatbikes: A Growing Controversy in the Netherlands
This summer, electric fatbikes have sparked significant media attention in the Netherlands. With numerous seizures, a slanted journalistic investigation, ongoing criminal inquiries, and motions passed by the majority, there is a push for stricter regulations to manage and potentially limit their spread in the market.
Understanding the Need for Speed Regulations
The discussion around fatbikes has recently gained traction in France, yet it’s essential to differentiate between models. Some fatbikes adhere to legal standards, maintaining a speed limit of 25 km/h, while others, particularly those imported from China, often exceed this threshold. The reason? These models can be easily modified to increase their speed.
A bold proposal has emerged from Armando Muis, CEO of La Souris, the Netherlands’ leading electric fatbike retailer. He suggests imposing a speed limit of 15 km/h through a physical mechanism installed at the company’s facilities, thus preventing any software alterations or manipulations.
According to Muis, “Most fatbikes involved in accidents are those that have been uncapped and exceed the 25 km/h limit. As a key player in the market, our priority is to enhance fatbike safety, and reducing speed, alongside rigorous enforcement, is the best path forward.”
Reported by Nieuwsfiets, any fatbike owner can visit one of La Souris’s 24 outlets to have their bike limited to 15 km/h, with a focus on popular brands like Ouxi and QM Wheels.
Moreover, Muis emphasized, “This initiative promotes safer transportation. If cyclists wish to travel faster, they can always pedal like in the past. La Souris is taking this step in the absence of suitable legislation, hoping to prompt action from lawmakers.”
La Souris: A Controversial Reputation
However, this proposition may raise eyebrows, particularly considering La Souris’s controversial history with electric fatbikes. The company has faced a criminal investigation by the Public Prosecutor’s Office for allegedly selling electric fatbikes with nominal power ratings of 500 or 750 W—well above the European legal limit of 250 W—while misleadingly labeling them as legal bicycles.
Additionally, the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) has flagged La Souris, leading to the seizure of hundreds of fatbikes from its stores. The ease of modifying these fatbikes was a focal point of this operation.
In response to the backlash, La Souris quickly issued a recall to make it harder to uncapped the fatbikes sold. Muis previously stated that this update could be completed in just five minutes, raising questions about why the company had not implemented it sooner if it was so simple to enhance the uncapping process.
As the debate unfolds, it raises pertinent questions about brand image and consumer behavior. Despite La Souris’s proposal to limit fatbikes to 15 km/h, one must wonder how many customers will genuinely follow through with this modification, especially considering that many opted for fatbikes specifically for the option to modify them for higher speeds.