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Are electric scooters road legal in Switzerland?

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In town, are you also bothered by the noise level and the exhaust emissions of cars? This is one of the many benefits of using electric scooters - quiet, ecological and agile! Road legal electric scooter Switzerland. Electric scooters make you mobile and independent. But Switzerland is known to be quite strict in terms of road laws. What is the Swiss legislation? Which criteria must a road legal electric scooter meet?

 

What does the Swiss legislation say?

The applicable legislative framework for electric scooters in Switzerland mainly comprises two documents;
-Ordinance 741.41 concerning the technical requirements for road vehicles (OETV). It is updated regularly with the support of the Federal Roads Office (OFROU). This ordinance is available on the website of the Swiss Confederation under the following link: OETV 741.41.
-The list of the main requirements concerning the admission and use of light mopeds electric vehicles available from the Federal Roads Office (OFROU) under the following link: OFROU Aide-Mémoire.

The electric scooter is listed under the category of "light mopeds", that is, single-seat vehicles with electric propulsion.

 

What criteria must a road legal electric scooter meet?

In order to be considered as a road legal electric scooter, the electric scooter must meet the following criteria, among others:
-A motor power not exceeding 500 Watts
+A maximum speed of 20 km/h
-Front and rear headlights
+A front and rear brake (including at least one brake acting by friction)
-A bell
The electric scooter is not subject to type approval or official control for the issuance of license plates or a driving permit. There is no driver's license required from the age of 16.
The minimum age of a driver is 14 years old provided he has a M permit.
Wearing a helmet is not compulsory, but strongly recommended.

 

Where am I allowed to ride my electric scooter?

The happy owner of a road legal electric scooter must drive, just like a bicycle, on two axes:
-On the cycle paths. There is no speed limit, so the maximum speed on an electric scooter is 20 km / h.
-On the road. The maximum speed limit on an electric scooter is 20 km / h.
Please note, it is strictly forbidden to use your electric scooter on the sidewalks, even when driving slowly. Even in a low speed collision, you could seriously injure a pedestrian. Remember that pedestrians are often distracted by their smartphones and don't hear you approaching.

 

What accident coverage in the event of a fall or collision?

If you ride an electric scooter road legal in Switzerland and fall or have an accident, it is normally your liability insurance that will cover the various injuries and costs.
However, you are strongly advised to contact your third-party insurance to ensure coverage for accidents with light mopeds.
What is the legislation with our European neighbors?
If you are taking your electric scooter with you on vacation, to avoid a fine, remember to inquire beforehand as the traffic rules are very different from one country to another. Here are some examples ;
In Germany, you will need to equip your electric scooter with an orange control plate and take out insurance.
The law is different in Austria, there is no need to equip your electric scooter with a control plate as long as it does not exceed 25 km / h or 600 watts.
In France, it is compulsory to take out insurance but the license plate is not required. You will need to travel at a maximum of 25 km / h and wear a retro-reflective jacket if you are driving at night.
In Italy, regulations may vary depending on the municipality, but you should be able to travel on pedestrian lanes up to 6 km / h and on cycle paths up to a speed of 20 km / h.

Discover now our range of road legal electric scooters :
Road legal electric scooters >

 

Conclusion :

Switzerland regulated the use of electric scooters long before our European neighbors. The law is relatively flexible and allows us to use a fairly wide range of products provided they meet the approval criteria.
If in doubt on the road, just remember that the legislation is very similar to that of bicycles. Electric scooter, foldable electric bike, find other reviews and many tips in our blog section.

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