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New rules cap the maximum speed of scooters nationwide, but the focus on riders over drivers may not be entirely fair, says Shanghai urbanist Liu Yuanju. On Nov. 1, a revised edition of China’s safety rules for electric scooters went into effect. The regulations set mandatory requirements for e-bikes nationwide, including updated standards limiting their top speed to 25 kilometers per hour and their weight to 55 kilograms, as well as new rules like mandatory installation of the BeiDou navigation system — China’s answer to GPS. These standards are aimed at improving the overall safety performance of e-bikes and ensuring the safety of users. However, experts like the Tsinghua University-based economist Li Daokui have already expressed concern that they are too strict to reliably enforce. Take for example the 25 kilometer-per-hour speed limit: it renders bikes slower than some pedal bicycles, meaning that new e-bikes may struggle to go up hills, over pedestrian bridges, or exit unde
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