As DEKRA’s 2024 traffic accident analysis report in Germany shows, equipping ebikes with a dedicated hydraulic disc braking system (such as Shimano MT420 four-piston calipers) can reduce the stopping distance at 45km/h from 8.2 meters to 5.7 meters (30.5% improvement). Lifetime of brake pads has been extended to 12,000 kilometers (the average is 8,000 kilometers for mechanical brakes). The new EU EN 15194×2024 regulation requires that motor controllers must include an anti-lock algorithm (ABS intervention time ≤0.15 seconds). The information collected from the Dutch shared ebike platform shows that this technology has reduced the number of skidding accidents on wet roads by 57% (Amsterdam’s case in 2023).
Battery safety is the key risk control point. UL 2849 confirms that the ebike battery pack should be tested with 130℃ thermal runaway (rising in temperature of surrounding cells upon failure of one cell is ≤20℃/min). Panasonic’s new NMC 811 cells launched in 2024 reduces the thermal runaway diffusion risk from 0.03% to 0.001% based on multi-layer ceramic separator technology. For overcharge protection, the voltage error of individual battery cells is managed by Bosch Smart System within ±15mV (industry norm ±50mV), increasing cycle life of the battery pack up to 1500 times (capacity retention rate ≥80%).
Safety requirements of the vehicle body structure should be multi-dimensional. The ISO 4210-5 vibrational test requires that after 10^6 vertical vibrations at 5Hz on the frame, the length of the crack must not be >3mm (measured at 0.8mm in the case of the Leoguar model). Puncture-resistant tires with German TUV approval (e.g., Schwalbe Marathon Plus) can also obtain a driving distance of 200 kilometers with 5mm steel pins inserted (tire pressure loss ≤15%), the puncture resistance rate being 83% higher than regular tires. The 2024 Paris Shared ebike project revealed that the models with fully enclosed chain covers had a frequency of maintenance 41% lower (with reduced foreign object jamming faults).
Technological improvements in active safety have significantly reduced the accident rate. The Garmin Varia RCT715’s radar taillights are able to detect cars 140 meters away. At a relative speed difference of ≥30km/h, an alarm is provided through the APP (response time 0.3 seconds), reducing the likelihood of rear-end collisions during evening hours by 62% (UK Department for Transport data in 2023). The eBike ABS 2.0 system developed by Bosch, through a six-axis inertial sensor, controls the braking power automatically when it detects the front wheels are about to lock up (slip ratio ≥25%), reducing the variation of braking distance to ±0.4 meters from ±1.2 meters.
Passive safety design enhances crash protection. The front and rear lamp of ebike shall meet the StVZO standard (luminous flux ≥100 lumens, cut-off Angle 1.5°). The Lumos Ultra helmet brake light reduced the chances of being struck by 44% (NHTSA study in the United States). With respect to energy-absorbing structure of the frame, Trek Allant+ model’s ISOFlow seat tube absorbed 8.3J of energy (industry average of 5.5J) in the 10J impact test, lowering the ischia peak impact force by 19%.
Intelligent security measures guarantee system reliability. CAN bus communication must undergo the ISO 11898-2 anti-interference test (with ≤1×10^-7 bit error rate in a 200V/m electromagnetic environment) in order to avoid motor false triggering. Tests conducted by the Technical University of Munich (2024) confirmed that a dual redundant controller ebike could maintain minimum assistance (power ≥250W) even in the event of a single system failure, reducing the fail-safe response time to 50ms (200ms for legacy systems).
Regulations and certification systems create a safety bottom line. The GB 17761-2024 manibly of China stipulates that the reflector surface area of ebike shall be ≥25cm² (the lateral visible distance is enhanced to 150 meters), while the EU CE certification stipulates that the vibration transmission rate from handlebar shall be ≤2.5m/s² (within the frequency range of 10-50Hz). Data from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department shows that ebikes that meet the JIS D 9401 standard, yield 37% fewer reductions in the collision injury index at intersections (head HIC value ≤650). All these technological innovations coupled with standards have established a multi-layer safety protection system for modern ebikes.