Legal Aspects of Using Electric Bicycles

Use of electric bicycles may be very convenient on many accounts including the price aspect. However, it would be good for the buyers to learn about a few basics on the legal aspects of buying, owning, and using bicycles that runs on electric power and the dos and don’ts of riding the bicycle.

Laws on Electric Bicycles

In the year 2001, the United States Congress issued the first public law relating to the electric scooters and motorized scooters. According to the provisions laid down in Law 107-319 –

Electrical bicycles under 750 watts and speed of 20 miles per hour is exempt from the definition of motor vehicle.
Such exemption relates to the motor vehicle safety standards. In result the manufacturers of the electric bicycles need not meet the federal requirements relating to equipment manufacturing.
Electric bicycles are governed by Consumer Product Safety Act.
However, electric bicycles are not exempt from other related laws and even from the definition of a motor vehicle for other purposes.
Laws vary from state to state and for example neither license nor insurance is required under the state laws in California.
Only thing is that the electric bikes are subject to all other road rules currently in force in any of the states in United States.
Federal Limits

States however, are not authorized to overrule the limits fixed under the federal laws. For instance the 750 watt and 20 miles per hour limits as set under the federal laws for the electric bicycles cannot be changed by the state laws. This does not mean that the bicycle may not run above 20 mph but the limitation is that it cannot run over 20mph on motor.

Electric Bicycle Use Basics

Some of the important aspects of using the electric bicycle are that –

Till date the laws relating to electric scooters and electric bicycles are not as uniform or clear as they should be.
Even law enforcement agencies do not have clear inkling of what constitutes violation of law and how they are to be dealt with.
Use of bicycle helmet is a must for any rider; and
When someone gets ticketed due to mistake on the part of the police taking the electric bicycle as a bike, the ticket holder may escape punishment in the court that usually lets such people off with a warning.
Electric bicycles are not motor bikes but are not pure bicycle either.