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Electric Vehicles come in many forms, with one of the most affordable being personal electric mobility devices such as push scooters, bicycles, and electric motorcycles and mopeds. Australian company and AEVA member E-Ozzie Electric Vehicles welcomed a number of NSW AEVA members to visit their Sydney store, based in St Peters, to check out their range of models, show us their service department, and tell us how they started.

Starting in Melbourne in a home workshop, they started importing and servicing a range of electric bicycles, expanding to a local shopping centre and then to a larger warehouse as they found there was a strong market for electric bicycle servicing that wasn't being filled elsewhere in the market.

The company expanded by selling their electric bicycles and scooters via a number of bike shops and recently opened up in Sydney to expand their business further. 

Public use of electric scooters. e-scooters, or electric push scooters vary state to state, so we've compiled a summary below:

• New South Wales - Illegal, unless used on private property. Check with Transport for NSW for the current policies.
• Victoria - In Victoria, effective from 5 April 2023 under Victoria's E-Scooter trial, you can legally ride your e scooter if:

  • You ride on shared-use paths and roads up to and including 60km/h

  • you’re over 16 years

  • you wear a helmet

  • you don’t ride while under the influence of drugs or alcohol

  • you ride up to a maximum speed to 20km/h

  • you’re not using your mobile phone or carrying a passenger (dinking)

  • it’s not a high-speed e-scooter – capable of more than 25km/h (this is considered an unregistered vehicle and penalties apply)

  • and never on footpaths.

• Queensland - the current legislation in Queensland allows you to legally ride electric scooters in public so long as they are:

  • Designed for use by a single person only and fit the following dimensions:
    1,250mm in length by 700mm in width by 1,350mm in height
    700mm in length by 1,250mm in width by 1,350mm in height

  • Have a maximum speed of 25km/h

  • Have a maximum weight of 60kg—when not carrying a person or load

  • Be powered by an electric motor

  • Have 1 or more wheels

  • Have a braking system

  • Have no sharp protrusions

• ACT - You can legally ride an e-scooter in ACT / Canberra as long as you:
  • Wear a helmet - You must wear an approved safety helmet while riding an e-scooter.
  • Abide by the speed limit - The speed limit for e-scooters while riding on a shared path or bike path is 25km/h, 15km/h for footpaths and you must slow down to 10km/h when using a crossing. Please ride more slowly around others.
  • Don't drive under the influence - Riding under the influence of drugs or alcohol is dangerous and illegal. Catch public transport, call a lift or walk home.
  • One person per scooter - Only one person is allowed on an e-scooter at any time. No doubling up, and no taking passengers.
  • Supervise children - Children under the age of 12 must not ride an e-scooter without adult supervision (check the operator’s terms and conditions for age limits for shared e-scooters).
  • Use the path - You must not ride on the road unless there is no path, or it is not practical to use the path.
  • Check the Transport Canberra for current information.
• Western Australia - Compliant e-scooters can only be legally ridden on low speed WA public roads and paths if their maximum power output is no more than 200 watts and they cannot travel more than 10 km/h on level ground. Many e-scooters on the market are non-compliant and have motors that exceed 200 watts and can travel at speeds much faster than 10 km/h.
  • Riders are permitted on footpaths and shared paths, so long as the rider keeps left and gives way to pedestrians also using the paths;
  • Riders must wear a helmet;
  • Riders cannot ride on roads with a speed limit exceeding 50km/h;
  • Riders cannot ride on roads with a dividing line or median strip;
  • Riders cannot ride on one-way roads with more than one marked lane; and
  • Riders cannot ride during the hours of darkness.
• South Australia - Illegal.
  • These devices cannot be used on roads or road related areas such as foot paths, bike/pedestrian tracks, or vehicle parking areas. Under South Australian legislation, these devices are considered to be motor vehicles. Operating a motor vehicle requires a driver’s licence, registration and compulsory third party insurance. As these devices do not meet the safety standards under the Australian Design Rules they are not eligible for registration.
  • However, e-scooters, operated in Adelaide by Beam and Neuron, are unlocked using a smartphone app and are fitted with GPS tracking so that users and the operator can easily find them are allowed to be used in the trial areas are those operating subject to a business permit issued by the relevant local city council. Riders must comply with the following:
    • Must be at least 18 years old
    • Must wear an approved bike helmet that is securely fitted
    • May ride on footpaths and shared paths unless otherwise prohibited
    • May ride on a road only when crossing or to avoid an obstruction for up to 50m. If road travel is required, riders:
      • Must travel less than 50m along the road to avoid the obstruction;
      • Must keep as far to the left as possible; and
      • Must obey any traffic signals.
    • Must NOT ride on a road:
      • with a dividing line or median strip, or
      • where the speed limit is greater than 50 km/h
      • which is one-way with more than 1 marked lane if otherwise prohibited
    • Must not ride in a bike lane or bus lane
    • Must use a warning (e.g. bell, horn or verbal) to avert danger
    • Must have proper control at all times and ride with due care and reasonable consideration for other persons
    • Must use a flashing or steady white light at the front and a flashing red light and reflector at the back of the device when riding at night or in hazardous conditions
    • Must not exceed 15km/h or a lesser speed if required in the circumstances to stop safely to avert danger
    • Must not ride abreast
    • Must not carry passengers
    • Must not have a BAC (blood alcohol concentration) of 0.05 or more or the presence of THC (Cannabis), Methylamphetamine (Speed) or MDMA (Ecstasy) in their blood or oral saliva
    • Must not use a mobile phone whilst riding
    • Must not carry scooters on public transport.
    • Check out the current laws at Transport SA.
• Tasmania - Electric Scooters are legal for private use in Tasmania. Personal mobility devices (PMDs), which includes e-scooters, are approved to be used on footpaths, shared paths, bicycle paths and some roads in Tasmania. By Tasmania’s description, a compliant PMD is a small electrically powered device designed to transport one person over short to medium distances.
  • A device is a PMD if it is electrically powered and:

    • Has at least one wheel

    • Is less than 125cm long, 70cm wide and 135cm high

    • Is less than 45kg

    • Is not capable of traveling faster than 25km/h

    • Is designed for use by one person.

    • The rider must wear a helmet

  • The definition of a PMD aims to include a variety of micro-mobility technologies such as e-scooters, e-skateboards, self-balancing hoverboards and one-wheel devices. These devices will be restricted to a speed of 15km/h on footpaths, and 25km/h on shared paths, bicycle paths and local roads. 

  • Councils will have the power to restrict footpaths that should not be shared and to add divided local roads to the network on a case-by-case basis.

  • Anyone 16 years of age or older will be able to use an e-scooter as long as they wear a helmet and comply with all of the road rules, including speed limits and don’t use mobile phones whilst riding.

  • Check out Transport Tasmania for current laws around PMDs

• Northern Territory - The Northern Territory is currently only allowing electric scooters to be ridden in geo-fenced locations around Darwin with strict processes in place. The geo-fenced scooters will max out at 15km/h with further restrictions in designated ‘slow zones’ in place. Further safety precautions are as follows:
  • Riders must be 18 years old and above.
  • E-scooters can only be ridden on the pavement, and low-speed roads with a speed limit less than 50km/h and no dividing line.
  • E-scooters cannot be ridden on on-road bicycle lanes.
  • Only one rider is allowed per e-scooter, and no tandem riding with children.
  • Wearing a helmet is mandatory, there is one on every e-scooter.
  • Maintain a safe distance between riders and pedestrians.
  • Give way to pedestrians and mobility devices (such as wheelchairs) at all times.
  • Do not ride under the influence of alcohol or any other substance.
  • Park responsibly, don't obstruct access areas, don’t park too close to a junction.

For electric bicycles, e-bikes, and pedelecs, a lot of the above restrictions also apply, but most states will allow a pedal assisted electric bicycle with up to 250W of assistance for speeds up to 25 Km/h with the exception of NSW, which will allow up to 500W. Always check local laws before using such a device in public.

E-Ozzie also have a wide range of accessories and spares on hand for the range of scooters and bicycles that they sell.

E-Ozzie Electric Vehicles are happy to support AEVA members, families and friends, so be sure to mention that you're an AEVA member if you're looking for a personal mobility device. Check out their website to see their range of products, tips and tricks.

After the visit to E-Ozzie, a number of members went to dinner afterwards for a meal and plenty of great conversations.