German firm builds portable rig to catch illegally tuned e-bikes

A Dresden engineering outfit is putting the finishing touches to a portable testing rig that promises to make roadside checks on electric bikes far quicker and more accurate. EMEC-Prototyping says its new device, still in development, would let police officers and inspection bodies establish on the spot whether an e-bike’s motor has been illegally modified to exceed legal power or speed limits.

Unlike current methods, which often require bikes to be taken away for workshop analysis, the compact unit is designed to be stowed in the back of a patrol car and assembled within a matter of minutes. Built-in artificial intelligence software is said to interpret the results automatically, reducing the guesswork and delay that has traditionally hampered enforcement efforts.

Illegal ‘chipping’ of e-bikes, where riders fit unauthorised chips or software to unlock speeds and power outputs well beyond the EU’s 25km/h assisted limit, has become an increasingly common problem across Europe. Campaigners argue that under-resourced police forces have struggled to keep pace with the practice, leaving many tuned bikes on the road undetected and raising safety concerns for other path and road users.

For UK readers, the development is a reminder that the rules governing e-bikes remain a live issue as sales continue to climb. While Britain’s own legal framework differs slightly from the EU’s, the direction of travel is the same: authorities on both sides of the Channel are searching for faster, more reliable ways to police motor power and speed limiters. Should tools like this reach British shores, it could mean quicker roadside checks for e-bike owners and greater scrutiny of aftermarket tuning kits, an issue that touches everyday commuters as much as it does the wider cycling community.

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Reported from an announcement by BikeBiz. Read the original.