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250W is simply not true.

The directive says that the motor (when preheated) may not exceed a temperature rise of 25°C over a certain period of time, nothing else. I sure don't understand why all people talk about 250W. Its a myth.

My pedelec (bosch perfomance line CX motor) definitely peaks at over 1kW of power (plus my power), so for example uphill I have a combined power output of around 1500 W.

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> pedal cycles with pedal assistance which are equipped with an auxiliary electric motor having a maximum continuous rated power of less than or equal to 250 W, where the output of the motor is cut off when the cyclist stops pedalling and is otherwise progressively reduced and finally cut off before the vehicle speed reaches 25 km/h; (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A...)

The key is continuous rated power, which is measured with the temperature-controlled method over 30 minutes (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:42...), and thus it can have a way higher peak-power, and manufacturers have a lot of leeway massaging the system design to formally keep in that limit. So both "there is a 250W limit" and "my bike gives out way more" can be true.

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