Sophisticated electric vehicles have become a danger on Vienna’s cycle paths. They are also a thorn in the side of the city. But she currently has no control over it.
Things are getting tight on Vienna’s cycle paths. This is also due to the increasing number of unmarked electric mopeds, which often travel far too fast. The city therefore wants to prohibit the use of the cycle path. But only the federal government can change that – we reported. But there is another problem: the ever higher average speeds of electric vehicles. There are now a variety of “tuning modules” or “tuning kits” available to (temporarily) make electric vehicles race. A “tuning chip,” for example, does not affect the existing firmware, but only temporarily changes certain parameters – such as the automatic switch-off when a certain, legal maximum speed is reached. After removing the module, the scooter is back to its “original” condition. The tuning often has to be activated after switching on (which makes it difficult to check). A Czech supplier offers tuning chips to bicycle shops (see excerpt). Brazen: the model was even offered to the mobility agency of the city of Vienna! But using accelerators is illegal on the road. Theoretically, you can only ride it on private property. The provider SpeedBox responded to a “Krone” request: “Customers are informed for every tuning product that the operation of such modified eBikes on the road may contradict the regulations in force in some countries Laws.” But the development, production and sale or distribution of SpeedBox chips does not contradict the legal provisions of the European Union. No responsibility will be accepted for any damage, it is said. The office of Transport City Councilor Ulli Sima (SPÖ) is now quickly demanding new testing standards from the federal government in order to be able to check and identify souped-up vehicles. There are currently no suitable methods for checking the actual engine performance of an electric vehicle.
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