This information outlines the requirements for electric mobility products to be entered into our catalog.
- To best serve our clients, we created a standard for what qualifies as an electric bike and is eligible for inclusion in our catalog.
- This standard exists to preserve the current regulatory framework for electric bicycles and to minimize legal liability for ourselves and our clients.
- Standards may evolve as further information emerges about safety, liability, and regulations.
Electric bicycles eligible for our catalog
- Meets CPSC definition of an electric bicycle (ANA ebike, e-bike)
- Operates within the Three-Class System guidelines
- Governors which cannot be easily defeated
CPSC regulation
Electric bicycles are currently regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and not the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which regulates motor vehicles.
This regulatory structure does not require consumers to license or register electric bicycles AND retailers/suppliers do not have strict consumer training requirements.
We have chosen to only include products in our Catalog that meet the definition of electric bicycles as outlined by the CPSC.
- A two or three-wheeled vehicle with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of fewer than 750 watts (1 h.p.), whose maximum speed on a paved level surface, when powered solely by such a motor while ridden by an operator who weighs 170 pounds, is less than 20 mph.
Three-Class System
All bicycles entered into our catalog need to fall within the Three-Class System which is currently law in most states.
PeopleForBikes devised the three-class system to modernize electric bicycle law in the United States. The system categorizes electric bicycles and properly regulates them based on their maximum assisted speed.
The three classes are defined as follows:
- Class 1: Pedal-assist only, no throttle, maximum assisted speed of 20 mph
- Class 2: Functional pedals, throttle-assisted, maximum speed of 20 mph
- Class 3: Pedal-assist only, no throttle, maximum assisted speed of 28 mph
There are varying requirements in different jurisdictions for age and helmet requirements, and where bicycles can be used based on their classification.
Speed-limiting Governors
- Governors act to keep the power/speed of an electric motor under a certain threshold. For products classified as an electric bicycle, additional federal guidelines exist.
- In 2005 the NHTSA stated that it would measure a vehicle's maximum speed without the governor engaged unless that governor was installed by the manufacturer and not easily removable or defeatable.
- This means that if an electric bicycle relies on a governor to keep it within legal requirements and the governor can easily be modified or removed then it is likely the product in question will exceed the maximum speed allowable for an electric bicycle and fall under NHTSA jurisdiction as a motorcycle.
Our Catalog team will do sufficient online research to determine if there is readily available consumer information from the manufacturer or third parties on how to defeat governors.
Additional resources for retailers
You can find additional information about electric bicycles, including legal and regulatory information, by visiting PeopleForBikes.