New e-bike regulations to hit lead battery demand

The China Electrical Equipment Industrial Association said new standards aimed at electric bikes and scooters could hit demand for lead batteries, Bloomberg reported. The rules, which place limits on the speed and size of electric bikes, or e-bikes, and scooters, are expected to constrain growth in an industry that has grown at 25% annually in recent years. They are also expected to reduce China’s overall demand for lead, for which prices have more than doubled this year – e-bikes account for 20% of China’s lead consumption. Under the new laws, e-bikes, which have pedals as well as electric motors, will be limited to 20 kilometers per hour and 40 kilograms; electric scooters, which are only powered by an electric motor, will be limited to 50 km/h and can weigh more than 40 kg.