concerns with ebikes laws and ways to improve them

[Ken M]

I suspect you like it because its very vague, and would therefore be difficult to enforce

It's actually not vague at all and keep in mind it's enforcement is on the product prior to sale. Not enforced by state "use" laws. Emerging ebikes were under legal purview of the NHTSA prior to HR727 passing (keep in mind one vote short of Congressional consensus and signed by the President so that states felt it was an adequate definition for a new type of bike still required to meet all the safety standards of any bike sold in the US). Review the congressional records...The NHTSA was explicit that under motor power alone the top speed could be 20mph (I'm not going to go into the ways this could be accomplished but a cut-off is just one way and that is not required by HR727 - you claim vague but that was intended to be design flexible. It's not a definition allowing crazy fast ebikes...in fact by approving Class 3 ebikes they made the performance requirements less stringent because full assist power could go all the way to 28mph (I'd bet that less than 1% have even recognized that outcome as part of the 3 class legislation).

 

[Ken M]

f you want to ride 2 wheel vehicles with unrestricted top speeds just like cars (and all the restrictions that come with that), motorcycles are available.

I have never suggested this. Never! HR727 restricts motor alone speeds for compliant ebikes at 20mph on a level surface but that assist level is allowed to continue such that only rider added power generates a higher speed. It was a very good bill and few even know it exists.

We do not want each state deciding what is a compliant ebike that can be sold in that state. The CPSC was establish primarily for interstate commerce so the same defined and regulated products could be sold in all 50 states.

 

[Ken M]

Thats also the reason that pretty much no state has taken it up. T

Really??? HR727 is what regulated interstate commerce - that is legal for sale in all 50 states. They don't just take it up...it's automatic. Research interstate commerce laws...please. You are spreading disinformation. I'm 100% trying to ensure compliant ebikes can be "used" in all 50 states as any other bike but that is lost will all the noise. Watch the video of Malcolm Curries testimony to Congress....that was his intent!!!

 

[Ken M]

Thats also the reason that pretty much no state has taken it up. T

Really??? HR727 is what regulated interstate commerce - what is legal for sale in all 50 states. It's not about states taking it up...it's top level authority and it's automatic. Research interstate commerce laws...please. You are spreading disinformation. I'm 100% trying to ensure compliant ebikes can be "used" in all 50 states as any other bike but that is lost will all the noise. Watch the video of Malcolm Curries testimony to Congress....that was his intent!!!

Thanks for the clarification. I had trouble with the wording.

This was done intentionally because there was no way the NHTSA was going to release the legal purview of ebikes if they could go faster than 20mph motor alone. So Malcolm Currie knew they would allow that assist level to continue (ie no assist cut-off but limited to what would sustain 20mph on a level surface which is approx 300-350W).