Our bicycle has 200w electric motor and is classified as a motorised bicycle under Australian law. It is subject to the same road rules as normal bicycles and is exempt from registration and compulsory 3rd party insurance.
Important:

The Bicycle
• Easy to overlook the role that evolution of the bicycle has had on increasing its attractiveness as an option for urban mobility – e.g. limited availability of Hybrid bikes in Perth prior to the TravelSmart initiative
• The on-going evolution of the bicycle has the potential to increase the range of users and the distance ridden – Particularly relevant in the context of reducing motor vehicle use
  E-bikes
• E-Bikes is a general term for electric bicycles which provide power assistance to the rider
• E-bikes have the potential to – provide mobility and health benefits for older Australians, and – substitute for car trips
  Power Assisted Bicycles in Australia
• Spot the odd one out. Which one isn’t a bicycle?
• In Australia, vehicles with a motor of less than 200W are classified as a ‘bicycle’ – The Segway Human Transporter on the right is not classified as a bicycle
  Power Assisted Bicycle Research
• Current research being undertaken by the Institute of Transport Studies and the Graduate School of Environmental Science at Monash Univeristy is seeking to understand the mobility, environmental and health tradeoffs associated with E-bikes – Research aims to provide a foundation for more informed debate about the need for regulatory reform governing these vehicles in Australia
• Riders equipped with GPS (to provide location and speed data) and heart rate data loggers – Completing the same trip on a conventional bike, PAB and car
  Preliminary Recommendations regarding regulation of power assisted bicycles
• Regulations governing power assistance on bicycles need to be revised in all Australian States – Need to ensure State regulations are consistent and preferably specified in terms of a performance based standard
• For E-bikes the power limit should be increased to 500 watts with the power assistance designed to cut out above 30 kph – Vehicles meeting those limits should continue to be classified as a ‘bicycle’ and require no registration or driver licensing