Noah Romsdal Hallundbæk Sørensen
A new bill in Delaware would force retailers to disclose exactly what they are selling, and whether it is even legally permitted in a bike lane.
A new bill in the US state of Delaware aims to cut through growing confusion in the electric vehicle market.
The proposal requires sellers to disclose in writing which category a vehicle belongs to, what its maximum power output is, and whether registration, insurance or a driving licence is required to operate it legally.
The backdrop is that increasingly powerful electric two-wheelers are blurring the line between bicycles and motorcycles, leaving many consumers unaware of what they are actually buying.
According to Electrek
What the Law Would Change
House Bill 439, dubbed the “Truth in E-Bike Marketing Act”, would prohibit retailers from marketing electric mopeds or motorcycles as “electric bicycles” unless a vehicle actually meets Delaware’s legal definition of an e-bike.
Failure to comply with the disclosure requirements could be treated as an unlawful business practice.
The bill would also clarify which vehicles are permitted on bike lanes and public trails.
Specifically, it states that mopeds and motorcycles are not allowed in bike lanes or on public trail corridors, regardless of whether they are marketed using bicycle-like terminology.
A Confusion With Real Consequences
Supporters of the bill argue that many consumers do not realise that the vehicle they purchased as an “e-bike” is in fact a powerful electric machine prohibited from bike lanes and pavements.
The micromobility market has exploded in recent years, and everything from pedal-assisted commuter bikes to Sur Ron-inspired electric dirt bikes is routinely lumped into the same category.
Local bike shop owners have felt that confusion firsthand.
“I think there’s a big misconception that people have of e-bikes,” said shop owner Brian Kellman to WDEL News. “A lot of those views come from people who haven’t tried them before or educated themselves.”
Part of a Broader National Debate
The bill has now been referred to Delaware’s House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee. It remains unclear when the committee will take up the matter.
What is happening in Delaware is not an isolated case.
Across the United States, lawmakers are debating whether existing e-bike legislation is still fit for purpose, as manufacturers continue to fit ever-larger motors into vehicles sold and marketed as simple bicycles.
The bill would also require that accidents involving electric bicycles and mopeds be recorded more precisely in Delaware’s crash reporting systems, giving authorities a clearer picture of road safety going forward.
