By removing or adjusting the speed limiter, modifying the battery, upgrading the motor, etc.
The top speed of some electric bicycles illegally modified in Nanning has soared several times
Our reporter Pang Huimin Our correspondent Jiang Shaoxuan our intern Wen Luying
"My car has been refitted with handlebars, tires, motors and batteries. It cost nearly 10,000 yuan, and now it can reach a speed of 80 kilometers per hour." Xiao Su, a college student in Xixiangtang District, Nanning, Guangxi, used her part-time salary during vacation to develop electric bicycles. upgrade".
The mandatory national standard "Technical Specifications for Electric Bicycle Safety" (hereinafter referred to as the new national standard), which was implemented in April 2019, clearly stipulates that when an electric bicycle is running, the maximum design speed shall not exceed 25km/h; (including batteries) shall not exceed 55kg, the motor power shall not exceed 400W, and the battery voltage shall not exceed 48V; the software and hardware of the electric bicycle shall be designed to be tamper-proof to prevent unauthorized modification or alteration of the maximum speed, power, voltage, and pedal riding ability.
Under the new national standard, why can electric bicycles be illegally modified to achieve "flying law" (Nanning dialect, meaning speeding)?
The reporter of "Worker's Daily" visited Nanning electric bicycle sales and maintenance places to find out.
Illegal modification by various means
"All the electric bicycles in our store can lift the speed limit." A salesman of an electric bicycle store on Nongyuan Road tried his best to sell to reporters.
Although the new national standard stipulates that the battery voltage of electric bicycles should not exceed 48V, but in this store, it can be converted into a 60V or even 72V battery with a few hundred yuan, which greatly improves the speed and endurance.
"Many of the "flying" on the street are the old national standard. After the new national standard is modified, it can "fly" very fast." The owner of a second-hand electric bicycle shop on Mingxiu West Road said that the old national standard license plate is very popular in the market. The store still sells old national standard cars, and the price of second-hand cars is 1,000 yuan to 2,000 yuan.
"Under the new national standard, electric bicycles have a certain speed limit. However, in the actual use process, in order to meet the needs of users for fast passage, some businesses will remove the speed limiter or adjust it, and some will adjust the motor. Modifications and upgrades are all illegal modifications to increase speed. After modification, the speed of the vehicle can soar to 90 kilometers per hour or even more than 100 kilometers per hour, which seriously threatens road traffic safety.” said the relevant person in charge of the Nanning traffic police department.
Lucky under heavy punishment
"If you come by car, I can help you with more than 100 yuan." The master of an electric bicycle repair shop on Luban Road readily introduced the modification price to the reporter, and bluntly said that the car modified by him is similar to the new car, and there is no safety risk.
In front of the repair shop, there is a sign saying "Illegal modification of electric vehicles is strictly prohibited", but the sign is stained with rust.
The reporter then continued to visit a number of electric bicycle repair shops on Luban Road, and found that these repair shops can modify electric bicycle controllers. The modification cost is 150 yuan to 180 yuan, and it can be completed within 1 hour.
"If you can't help, you will be fined." The owner of an electric bicycle repair shop on Xinai Road vigilantly rejected the reporter's request for modification.
According to his understanding, some colleagues were fined 40,000 to 50,000 yuan for illegally modifying electric bicycles.
It is reported that since the implementation and promulgation of the "Nanning Electric Bicycle Management Regulations" in 2020, the Nanning Market Supervision Bureau has increased the supervision of illegal activities in electric bicycle business activities. There were 31 cases of illegal acts such as bicycles.
Among them, in the "Iron Fist" action to investigate and handle cases in the field of people's livelihood in 2021, the former operator of Mingming Electric Vehicle Operation Department in Xixiangtang District, Nanning was fined 105,529.2 yuan for operating without a license, illegally selling unqualified electric bicycles, and illegally refitting electric bicycles .
Safety remediation is imperative
Because Nanning has implemented the "no motorcycle" regulations, the current traffic accidents involving casualties in urban areas, electric bicycle accidents have far exceeded motorcycles.
Industry insiders said that the new national standard is formulated based on the safety performance of electric bicycles. The maximum speed is increased, but the performance cannot keep up. In the process of high-speed driving, it will increase safety hazards and easily lead to traffic accidents.
The fire department emphasized that after increasing the battery of the electric bicycle and changing the motor, high heat is generated during the over-power charging process and the over-speed driving process, which can easily lead to spontaneous combustion.
On October 4, 2021, Wu Mouhai, north of Building Road, Xinqiao Town, Fumian District, Yulin, Guangxi, purchased a lithium battery that did not meet safety standards online and installed it on an electric bicycle by himself.
In the early morning of October 5, Wu Mouhai charged the car with an unsuitable charger. The lithium battery of the electric bicycle charged at night ran out of control and burst into flames, causing a fire and 2 deaths.
Recently, the People's Court of Fumian District, Yulin City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region convicted Wu Mouhai of the crime of fire and sentenced him to 4 years in prison.
On October 29, 2021, the Guangxi Fire Rescue Corps carried out experiments related to the "three no batteries" of electric bicycles in Nanning Eco-Industrial Park.
Experiments have shown that there are great safety hazards such as overcharging electric bicycles and modifying batteries.
The relevant person in charge of the Nanning Market Supervision Bureau said that from April 18 to the end of the year, Nanning will list electric bicycles as the focus of the 2022 key industrial product quality and safety inspection, rectification and improvement actions, and strictly investigate and punish all electric bicycles in the operation. This kind of illegal behavior, and organizes the technical assistance of product quality to the production enterprises in the jurisdiction, and eliminates all kinds of hidden dangers in the quality and safety of electric bicycles.
At present, the city has filed and investigated 15 cases of illegal electric bicycles, and seized more than 100 electric bicycles suspected of selling unqualified electric bicycles.