YOTO The one category with no power ceiling #
L5e is the only L-subcategory without a rated-power limit. What changes with power is the licence: up to 15 kW the vehicle sits on an A1 licence from 16 in most member states; above that it needs a full A. That makes L5e-A the natural home for five-seat passenger tricycles that need real gradient performance.
A five-seat passenger body cannot be L5e-B L5e-B is capped at two seats and requires a purely goods-carrying body with a rigid partition behind the driver. A five-seat passenger tricycle is structurally L5e-A regardless of what a supplier writes on a quotation.
Why the speed figure matters commercially #
The 45 km/h line is the boundary with L2e. A three-wheel passenger vehicle at 48 km/h is L5e-A and needs an A1 licence. The same vehicle limited to 45 km/h would still not become L2e if its motor is rated above 4 kW — so the limiter buys nothing and costs performance. We publish the certified speed, not a limited one.
Registration notes #
- Passenger tricycles are registered as motorcycles in several member states, which changes the plate style and the technical inspection interval.
- Five seating positions means five belts and five anchor points; a certificate issued for a lower seat count cannot be used for a five-seat body.
- Body style (open or enclosed) is part of the approved type in most cases. Confirm which body your certificate covers before mixing an order.
