from Road Rights by greg
Illustration: Harry Campbell [A local Baltimore cyclist BTW]
For cyclists who ride for fitness, electric-assist bicycles, or e-bikes, may seem to miss the point. But when it comes to pedaling for transportation, more people might decide to get around on two wheels if they had access to one of these motorized machines. However, where and even whether it’s legal to ride an e-bike depends on a complex mix of federal, state, and local laws. Here are some of the rules involved.
Under federal law, if an e-bike has pedals that the rider can use to power the bicycle without the assistance of the electric motor, a motor of less than 1 horsepower, and a top motor speed below 20 mph, it is defined as a “low-speed electric bicycle,” and legally is considered a bicycle. But if the e-bike does not meet those requirements, it is classified as a motor vehicle. The federal law does not apply to e-bikes that are owner-assembled from a kit or from scratch—but some states do regulate such models. However, even when e-bikes are legally considered bicycles, federal law specifies that they may not be used on bike paths that have been built with the assistance of federal funding, unless a state or local law specifically permits e-bikes on bicycle or pedestrian paths.
E-bikes are also regulated by each state. When checking the specifics of your local laws, consider these questions.
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Read the rest here: https://bicycling.com/blogs/roadrights/2012/10/15/power-to-the-people/