L317-1 is the statutory provision in the French highway code that strictly prohibits modifying electric bicycles so that they can go faster.
Electric bikes are limited to 25 km/h, a low speed considering that it's not too difficult with a conventional pedal bike to cycle at higher speeds — it's not surprising that they want to modify them…
But in France, from now on, modifying electric bicycles becomes an act severely punished. The fine can amount to 30 million euros, the driving license (if they have one) can be suspended for a period of up to three years and, finally, it can lead to a prison sentence of up to one year.
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All in the name of safety for cyclists and pedestrians. It's not just owners who are covered by the law; importers, distributors or sellers may also be punished according to the law, with the aggravation of imprisonment increasing up to two years.
Whether the law will be enforced in all its draconian force will have to wait and see, but the French government hopes it will at least have the intended persuasive effect.
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