Source date: September 24, 2026. Following a targeted inspection in Neudorf and Neumühl, Duisburg police have seized three small electric vehicles. According to their own report, they found an app on one checked e-scooter that allowed the speed to be increased to up to 45 km/h. The inspection took place on September 18, and the police report was published on September 22. For owners, the case highlights why a speed unlocked via an app can be more than just a harmless setting.
What the police are actually reporting
The officers primarily pulled over vehicles that were visibly traveling too fast or whose riders were noticeable due to other violations. The police report six criminal charges for driving without a license, three seized small electric vehicles, and one seized invalid carriage. In addition, there was one report for cell phone use while driving, four warning fines, two reports to the road traffic office, and one report for a motor vehicle tax violation. The statement does not provide a total number of all inspections. The figures are therefore not a general rate for e-scooters in Duisburg.
The police also state that all e-scooter riders checked during this operation were under 14 years of age. This is a statement about the specific individuals stopped, not about the entirety of e-scooter riders. According to Section 3 of the eKFV (Small Electric Vehicle Ordinance), only those 14 years of age or older may operate a small electric vehicle.
App tuning and test bench: two separate findings
In the case of one e-scooter, the police saw an app on the rider's phone that can be used for manipulation. According to the statement, the scooter in question could reach up to 45 km/h with it. On September 21, officers tested three seized small electric vehicles on a roller dynamometer. However, the published report does not provide specific measured values for each of these three vehicles.
The police separately report on the seized invalid carriage: it reached at least 45 km/h on the roller dynamometer and is to be further examined by DEKRA. This measured value should not be attributed to the three e-scooters. For the e-scooters, the figure "up to 45 km/h" remains the consequence of the manipulation on one vehicle as described by the police.
Why the change is legally and technically important
The eKFV defines small electric vehicles, among other things, by a design-related maximum speed of at least 6 and no more than 20 km/h. If a vehicle is made significantly faster, it may fall out of this vehicle class. The police therefore warn that a driver's license may then be required. The consequences in individual cases depend on the vehicle, the technical modification, and the actual use; the criminal charges are not yet legally binding findings.
Even without legal classification, the additional speed is a safety issue: braking distance, driving stability, and the consequences of falls change. Anyone taking over a used scooter or discovering a tuning app should check the specific model variant and approved condition using manufacturer documents and labels and should not use technical modifications in public road traffic. Our report on the inspection in Elze shows another, separate police case; the figures from both inspections cannot be extrapolated to a general frequency.
Sources: Duisburg Police, report dated September 22, 2026; eKFV § 1; eKFV § 3. All links accessed on September 24, 2026.
Note regarding this post: The details regarding the day of the inspection are from the police report. Ongoing investigations and vehicle inspections may change the classification of individual cases; no decision of guilt follows from the charges.