Electric Bicycle (250W / 500W, 36V / 48V Li-ion)

EN 15194 Compliance: The EU EPAC Standard

EN 15194:2017 is the mandatory standard for electrically power-assisted cycles (EPAC) in the European Union. Key requirements: motor rated power must not exceed 250W, motor assistance must cut off when the rider stops pedaling or reaches 25 km/h, and the battery system must meet electrical safety requirements. A CE-marked e-bike without EN 15194 compliance documentation is not legally an EPAC — it falls under L-category motorcycle type approval instead, requiring registration, insurance, and a driving license.

EN 15194 compliance requires testing at an accredited notified body and costs approximately €1,500–3,000 per bicycle model. Chinese factories supplying EU importers should already have this certification for their base frame/motor combinations. Verify the certification covers your specific battery-motor combination — changing from a 10Ah to 15Ah battery may void the existing type certificate and require re-testing.

Battery Cell Grade and BMS Protection

The battery pack is the highest-risk component for e-bikes. Samsung 21700 50E or LG M50T cells (3.6V, 5Ah) are the reference tier for branded wholesale buyers — generic cells lose 25–35% capacity within 200 cycles and generate inconsistent range claims. Require the factory to declare cell supplier and provide a cell spec sheet with cycle test data (capacity retention at 80% after 500 cycles minimum).

BMS (Battery Management System) protection functions to verify: overcharge protection (cuts at 4.2V per cell ±0.05V), overdischarge protection (cuts at 2.75–3.0V per cell), overcurrent protection (triggers at <150% of rated discharge current), and cell balancing during charging. UN 38.3 certification is required for air freight of lithium battery packs — without it, most air freight forwarders will not accept the shipment. For US market UL 2849 (e-bike battery and charger system safety), budget an additional $3,000–5,000 and 12–16 weeks.