Why Juiced Should Consider Making a "Moped"

[Asher]

Again your examples are irrelevant from a regulatory perspective because they're so rare. I see plenty of cyclists on routes I take and I never see recumbents or velomobiles, certainly none doing 25+ mph. Governments generally don't make laws about things that practically don't exist. It's like saying cars should have no speed limits because there's a hill somewhere where they can go 50 mph without any engine power. So let's have 50 mph traffic outside your house.

But if you don't see any difference between someone sustaining a speed for 3 seconds and for an hour, there's nothing more I can say. Enjoy.

 

[Ken M]

Funny you claim my examples are irrelevant, but you have none that support your argument that the current legislation is logical should not be changed. It is not RARE that someone on a traditional or a recumbent bike goes faster than 20mph so my examples are completely relevant - I do it almost every day and I'm not breaking the law because I'm on the street and the posted speed limit applies but if I'm on my eBike and it assisted me past 20mph (or 28mph if I have a registerred and insured Class 3 ebike in the 7 states with the "model" legislation proposed by People for Bikes) I am breaking the law. I can't believe anyone thinks that is rational.

By the way there are no speed limits on the speed capability of cars as you implied. You are totally confused between usage speed limits and limiting the speed the product itself (a Bugatti Chiron that can do 260+mph, but has to comply with posted speed limits when used). I'm suggesting the same kind of regulation for eBikes, but you don't set the speed limit based on the slowest bikes.

Allowing higher assist speeds on eBikes is not going to change the max speeds riders achieve, it's only going to increase the speeds they sustain, your entire rebuttal supported my side of this debate.

 

[jazz]

This is kinda of an ebike - moped -scooter - mini motorcycle - https://www.mondaymotorbikes.com/the-motorbike/

 

[Ken M]

I believe they sell that as a moped that is expected to be registered as a low power electric in most states. Since it can exceed 20mph under throttle control only it is not a class 2 ebike in any of the states that have adopted the legislation that California adopted based on the EU regulations (People for Bikes considers this the "model" state legislation for the country but it's dubious at best).

Few people take the time to read both the Federal and State regulations for what is a bike classification and when an electric bike is no longer classified as a bike and become a moped or some other defined use product.

I do believe that the regulations need serious review as they are impacting the potential adoption of ebikes as a move viable form of transportation. Limiting them to assist speeds of 20mph to retain a bike status is a ???? limit because it's nearly impossible to enforce and many eBikes are being sold that have "off-road" assist speeds well past that limit (and everyone knows they will be used to commute on).

 

[Asher]

This is kinda of an ebike - moped -scooter - mini motorcycle - https://www.mondaymotorbikes.com/the-motorbike/

Three times the weight, twice the price and half the range. Why electric no pedal mopeds suck. I don't think they'll be very popular compared to ebikes.

 

[Ken M]

Three times the weight, twice the price and half the range. Why electric no pedal mopeds suck. I don't think they'll be very popular compared to ebikes.

Agreed. But I think for electric scooters to gain traction they need to achieve a minimum speed of 45mph/75kph (if they have to share space with cars in urban traffic they need to be able to go at the speeds the cars are traveling to have any safety level at all). You'll probably come back and say they should be classified as motorcycles then.

Gogoro has a great electric moped but a horrible policy on not allowing battery ownership (they are trying to lock buyers into lifetime high priced electric fuel). I think their escooter/emoped would be a reasonably popular product in the US if they just sold it with the battery / batteries.

The bottom line is that eventually more Americans will need to be using other forms of transportation / commuting besides a car. Some cities are already saying they can not accommodate the workers commuting to the city for work each day. We just tend not to do anything until absolutely essential to change. I would think just the obesity rate in the country would already be the driver for change but just keeps going up and up.