The classification of e-bikes and who’s allowed to ride them are changing tomorrow, based on a new law in Connecticut that targets young e-bike riders and speed modifications.
The law comes after a 350% increase from 2024 to 2025 in fatal crashes between bikes, both electric and non-electric, and automobiles, according to The Hartford Courant.
The definition of an e-bike is changing to distinguish bikes with 750 to 3,500 watts of power as “motor-driven cycles,” which require driver’s licenses to ride, according to the HB-6862 bill. E-bike modifications are also subject to fines if it changes the motor engagement in ways noncompliant to the law. The fine is less than $100 dollars at first but can be raised up to $300 for subsequent offenses.
If an e-bike has 3,500 watts or more, the law will now classify it as a motor-driven vehicle. E-bikes beyond the 3,700 watts threshold are further distinguished as motorcycles which need a license with a motorcycle endorsement to ride.
The capabilities of e-bikes on the market and how people use them have become more of a concern with this increase in fatalities. Connecticut Insider reported that some e-bikes currently being sold have speed capabilities of up to 70 mph.
The Connecticut General Assembly previously only classified three different distinctions of e-bikes, which all require operable foot pedals, an electric motor and less than 750 watts of power to be considered an e-bike, according to a 2018 bill.
The first classification is “Class 1,” where the motor can only engage when the rider is using the foot pedals and the motor disengages when the rider stops pedaling or when it hits the top speed of 20 mph.
The second classification is “Class 2,” where the motor can engage when the rider pedals or with a throttle controlling the electric motor and the motor disengages when the brakes are applied or when it hits the top speed of 20 mph.
The third classification is “Class 3,” where the motor can only engage when the rider is using the foot pedals and the motor disengages when the rider stops pedaling or it hits the top speed of 28 mph.
The new law addresses the gray area left out of these classifications regarding how an e-bike with over 750 watts of power should be classified legally.
The president of the Electric Vehicle Club of Connecticut, Barry Kresch, said his fleet of electric vehicles taught him how quick the technology can evolve. Kresch noted how his first EV was a 2012 Chevrolet Volt that got 38 miles of electric range before the gas motor kicked in. One of his current Tesla Model 3s gets 325 miles of range and only runs on electricity.
Kresch’s knowledge about the speed at which electric models progress came with safety concerns over sharing the roadways with riders of e-scooters and e-bikes.
“Micro mobility presents some unique challenges, because if you’re on the street you’re the smallest thing,” Kresch said. “If you’re on the sidewalk, you’re the biggest thing. We don’t have a lot of protected lanes, so I think the legislature was right to define different capabilities of these vehicles.”.
The Southern New England manager at the East Coast Greenway Alliance, Bruce Donald, supports the new legislation overall, but remained hesitant on some key aspects.
“When we’re looking at enforcement, we need to be careful that we are not cutting down on lawful and correct usage and providing barriers of entry for people [instead],” Donald said.
Donald added that his support of the law came from his efforts in maintaining accessible trail systems in Connecticut.
“The people we’re building bike trails for are, what I like to exemplify as, grandparents with a couple of eight and 10-year-old grandkids,” Donald said. “Those people, we want to be able to use these facilities and feel safe.”
Aside from adding regulations to increasingly powerful e-bikes, the new law also expands the age range of helmet laws to improve safety.
Helmet laws used to only require riders who were 17-years old or younger to wear helmets when on both motor-driven cycles and motorcycles. Starting on Oct. 1, the age range will increase to require 18, 19 and 20-year-olds to wear a helmet or be fined $90 or more.