Are VanMoof electric bikes legal (and safe)?

Legal e-bike checker · Brands

Every VanMoof model checked against the law where you ride. VanMoof data checked 25 October 2026; law checked 23 October 2026.

This page checks 3 VanMoof e-bikes sold in the UK and the EU. In the UK (£2,698 to £3,098), 1 of 3 is legal as listed and 2 can't be confirmed from what VanMoof publishes. In the EU (€2,798 to €3,298), 1 of 3 is legal as listed and 2 can't be confirmed from what VanMoof publishes. One regulator record names VanMoof (US); it's under battery safety and recalls.

Independent: no brand pays to be listed here, and none can change a mark. Some buttons are affiliate links (how this site earns). Riding in the UK? UK e-bike laws in full.

✓Legal as listedIn the UK, 1 of VanMoof's 3 UK models is legal as listed; 2 can't be confirmed from what VanMoof publishes.

Visit VanMoofUK e-bike law

The law in the UK, in short

• Motor: 250 W max²
• Motor stops helping at: 15.5 mph (25 km/h)²
• Throttle: Only with vehicle approval²
• Rider age: 14 or over²
• Licence, tax, insurance: Not needed²

UK e-bike law in full · Battery safety and recalls

Every VanMoof model, with its mark in each area ↓

How I check VanMoof e-bikes

• The bikes. I read VanMoof's own product page for all 3 e-bikes it sells in the UK, on 25 October 2026, and note four things: the motor's power, the speed the motor helps up to, whether there's a throttle and how fast it goes, and any safety certification claimed.
• Gaps. Where a product page leaves a figure out, I look in VanMoof's other published documents: its buying guides, FAQs, manuals and other regional stores. Whatever I use is linked next to the figure. I never estimate a figure or borrow one from a reviewer.
• The law. Each figure is set against the law in the UK, read from the official source. Power is compared as continuous (rated) power, because that's what the law limits. Where a brand only gives a peak figure, that's a ?, not a ✓.
• Unlocking. If VanMoof's own page says a bike can be unlocked, or has a mode faster than the legal limit, that's recorded, word for word.
• Certification. A standard named on a product page (UL 2849, UL 2271, EN 15194) counts as a claim, not proof. Where a certificate is public, the paperwork score says so.
• Recalls and safety reports. I search OPSS (UK), checked 25 Oct 2026¹²; CPSC (US), checked 25 Oct 2026¹³. Anything found is quoted as the regulator wrote it.
• The marks. ✓ means VanMoof's published figures sit inside the limits. ? means a figure the law depends on isn't published, or the law itself is unclear. ✗ means the brand lists it outside the limits. It's an analysis of documents, not a test ride and not an opinion.
• Updates. Prices and product pages are re-checked on the 1st of every month. If something here is wrong, send the document to hello@velorution.com and I'll re-check it within five working days.

VanMoof S6, S5: are they legal?

VanMoof A5: is it legal?

Can you unlock an VanMoof e-bike's speed limit?

None of VanMoof's product pages, as read on 25 October 2026, offer a way to raise the speed limit.

What the law says about a bike that's been unlocked or modified:

• 🇬🇧 the UK: An unlocked bike that assists above 15.5 mph is no longer an EAPC². Licence, tax, insurance: Not needed for an EAPC².

Are VanMoof electric bikes safe? Battery fires, recalls and certification

Have VanMoof e-bike batteries caught fire?

Neither the UK (OPSS) nor the US (CPSC) safety database holds a fire-related recall or report for VanMoof, as of the last check.^{12, 13}

VanMoof has 1 other regulator record, none about fire:

• VanMoof B-Series and S-Series bikes made 2014 to 2016 (non-electric): US CPSC recall, 15 May 2017, recorded as “fall and impact hazards”. The front fender bolts didn't break away when an object got stuck between the tyre and fender. 375 bikes were covered; VanMoof had two reports of injured riders¹¹.

Are VanMoof batteries certified?

What VanMoof's own product pages claim, model by model:

• UK models: EN 15194 (the e-bike safety standard) on 0 of 3; EN 50604-1 (the battery) on 0 of 3.
• EU models: EN 15194 (the e-bike safety standard) on 0 of 3; EN 50604-1 (the battery) on 0 of 3.

A standard named on a product page is a claim, not a certificate. Each model's claim is in its Specs, linked to the page it came from.

Charging and battery safety: what the authorities say

• EU product alerts, including e-bike and battery recalls, are published on the European Commission's Safety Gate¹⁷.
• California's battery rule only counts a test done by an accredited lab, and the bike must carry that lab's mark and the standard it was tested to¹⁸.
• NSW made e-bikes, their lithium batteries and their chargers 'declared electrical articles', which is why sellers now need certificates and a safety mark¹⁹.

VanMoof e-bike FAQ

Are VanMoof e-bikes legal in the UK?

Of the 3 e-bikes on VanMoof's UK store, 1 is listed inside the UK limits of 250 W and 15.5 mph^{2, 1}. For 2 more, a figure the law depends on, such as a throttle's top speed or the motor's rated power, isn't published¹.

Has VanMoof had a recall or a safety report?

In the US, CPSC recall (15 May 2017) recorded “fall and impact hazards”: the front fender bolts didn't break away when an object got stuck between the tyre and fender¹¹. 375 bikes were covered; VanMoof had two reports of injured riders¹¹.

Can you unlock an VanMoof e-bike's speed limit?

None of VanMoof's product pages, as read on 25 October 2026, offer a way to raise the speed limit. 🇬🇧 the UK: An unlocked bike that assists above 15.5 mph is no longer an EAPC2. Licence, tax, insurance: Not needed for an EAPC2.

Do VanMoof e-bikes catch fire?

Neither the UK (OPSS) nor the US (CPSC) safety database holds a fire-related recall or report for VanMoof, as of the last check.^{12, 13}

Are VanMoof e-bike batteries certified?

UK models: EN 15194 (the e-bike safety standard) on 0 of 3; EN 50604-1 (the battery) on 0 of 3. EU models: EN 15194 (the e-bike safety standard) on 0 of 3; EN 50604-1 (the battery) on 0 of 3. A standard named on a product page is a claim, not a certificate.

Similar e-bike brands, checked

• Are Decathlon e-bikes legal (and safe)?
• Are DYU e-bikes legal (and safe)?
• Are Himiway e-bikes legal (and safe)?
• Are Super73 e-bikes legal (and safe)?

An analysis of published documents, checked 25 October 2026 (VanMoof) and 23 October 2026 (law): not legal advice, and not an opinion on any brand. How I checked, and every source.

How I checked: the full rules, paperwork and sources

VanMoof's paperwork, by area

Six checks, each answered by a public document. This counts what VanMoof publishes; it isn't a safety rating.

Check	the UK	the EU
Published spec inside this area’s legal limits	◐ partly 1 of 3 models listed inside the limits	◐ partly 1 of 3 models listed inside the limits
No “unlock”, “off-road mode” or derestriction claims	✓ None found on the brand’s pages	✓ None found on the brand’s pages
Area safety standard claimed by the brand	✗ not found EN 15194 not claimed on any model	✗ not found EN 15194 not claimed on any model
Certificate or test report public (lab + number)	✗ not found No certificate or test report found in public	✗ not found No certificate or test report found in public
Battery standard claimed	✗ not found No UL 2271, EN 50604-1 or IEC 62133-2 claim found	✗ not found No UL 2271, EN 50604-1 or IEC 62133-2 claim found
No recall or regulator safety report here in 3 years	✓ Nothing on OPSS, checked 2026-10-2512	✗ not found Not yet checked against this market’s database
Total	2.5 of 6	1.5 of 6

What this page is, and isn't

This page is an analysis of published documents: the law and official guidance from each area’s government, and what each brand publishes about its own bikes. It is not legal advice, and it is not an opinion on any brand or bike. Everything was checked on 25 October 2026 (VanMoof data) and 23 October 2026 (law), and every fact links to its source.

✓ Legal as listed means the brand's own published specification for that market sits inside the legal limits. It does not mean I have tested the bike or seen its certificates, unless the page says so. ? Can't confirm means a figure the law depends on isn't published, so it can't be confirmed either way. Paperwork counts which documents are public. It is not a safety rating.

Laws change, and cities and councils can add their own rules. Before you ride, check the official source.

Corrections. If you make one of these bikes and something here is wrong, send the document to hello@velorution.com. I'll re-check it within five working days and update the page.

How this site earns. Some “Visit store” buttons are affiliate links. If you buy, Velorution may earn a commission at no cost to you. A brand can't buy a better mark. A store button only appears where a bike is marked ✓, and never on a model with a regulator safety record from the last three years.

Sources

1. VanMoof, store directory (regional stores checked 25 October 2026)
2. GOV.UK, Riding an electric bike: the rules
3. VanMoof US store, e-bikes
4. VanMoof EU store, e-bikes
5. VanMoof UK, S6 product page
6. VanMoof UK, S5 product page
7. VanMoof UK, A5 product page
8. VanMoof EU, S6 product page
9. VanMoof EU, S5 product page
10. VanMoof EU, A5 product page
11. CPSC, VanMoof Recalls Bicycles Due to Fall and Impact Hazards
12. GOV.UK, Product safety alerts, reports and recalls: search for "vanmoof"
13. US Consumer Product Safety Commission, Recalls: search for "vanmoof"
14. Regulation (EU) No 168/2013, Article 2(2)(h) and Annex I (EUR-Lex)
15. Straßenverkehrsgesetz (StVG) §1(3), Germany
16. Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 on batteries, Articles 11 and 20 (EUR-Lex)
17. European Commission, Safety Gate: the rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products
18. California Health and Safety Code §26302 (battery testing for sale, operative 1 Jan 2026)
19. NSW Government, Selling or renting out e-bikes and other e-micromobility products in NSW