Everyday motoring
Which limits must an electric scooter meet for an AM licence?
For AM, an electric scooter must be approved as a moped and meet the 45 km/h design-speed and applicable power limits.
Under Italian rules, an electric scooter can be driven with AM if it is approved as the relevant moped class and meets that class’s limits: for a two-wheel moped, maximum design speed is 45 km/h and maximum continuous rated power is 4 kW. Check its documents.
The speed shown on the display is not enough
For a two-wheel electric moped, AM is linked to class L1e, a maximum design speed of 45 km/h and maximum continuous rated power of 4 kW. The important phrase is “by design”: this is not the speed reached in one road test or a temporary setting selected by the rider. The vehicle also needs type approval that matches the moped class.
A sales page may show peak power, range or an advertised speed without making the legally relevant figure clear. Do not treat different measurements as interchangeable: peak power and continuous rated power are distinct. An electric vehicle can also fall into another category if it exceeds the relevant parameters or has a different approval. Three-wheel mopeds and AM quadricycles have specific requirements for their own subclasses.
How to read the vehicle document
Check the registration certificate or vehicle document, its approved class and its technical data. If it is registered as a motorcycle rather than a moped, AM is not enough even if the seller calls it a scooter. For a combustion-engine moped, the relevant rules include engine displacement; for an electric one, the law uses maximum continuous rated power. Do not substitute one figure for the other.
For example, a scooter advertised as “45 km/h” does not automatically become an AM moped if it has been approved in another class. If the document identifies L1e and its figures meet the limits, the class is consistent with AM. If the figures are missing or inconsistent, ask the seller or the office that registered it before driving. The competent Motor Vehicle Office can point you to the correct administrative check.
Use Quiz Patente Ufficiale to review moped rules and remember AM limits through theory quizzes.
Frequently asked questions
Is every 5 kW electric scooter covered by AM?
No. For a two-wheel electric AM moped, the stated maximum continuous rated power limit is 4 kW. Check the approved value and class in the documents.
Can I use the manufacturer’s peak-power figure?
Not as a substitute for the figure specified by the rule. Check the maximum continuous rated power in the approval documents.