New E-moped rules leave riders and shops facing disposal costs

Stricter rules for electric mopeds will take effect on October 1, forcing many delivery riders to switch to e-bikes and leaving businesses with surplus vehicles, ORF reports.

Delivery rider Marius Bocai travels up to 95 kilometres a day. He criticised the authorities, saying the changes take away the e-mopeds instead of helping delivery workers complete orders. Foodora plans to switch its fleet to bicycles and e-bikes, but self-employed riders will have to pay for the change themselves.

The new rules are intended to improve safety on cycle paths. According to the Austrian Road Safety Board, many e-mopeds currently travel faster than the permitted 25 kilometres per hour.

The changes will also affect retailers, many of which have warehouses full of electric mopeds. Bike shop owner Milad Iranpur said selling the vehicles abroad was one possible solution. If he cannot sell his stock by December, he will have to dispose of it, at an estimated cost of up to 50,000 euros.

Businesses needing proof of disposal can take the vehicles to the Rinter facility operated by Vienna’s MA 48 waste disposal service, said MA 48 head Josef Thon. Private individuals can take them to a municipal waste collection centre. The battery should be handed in at the hazardous waste collection point, while the rest goes for recycling.