Ebikes are in a weird place.
The good: US sales are way up from the start of the decade, after the pandemic sparked interest in two-wheelers and helped riders go farther, faster, and with less effort. More people also see ebikes as viable transportation options and as more affordable and accessible alternatives to increasingly expensive cars. The bad? Sales are down from two years ago, and bike manufacturers and sellers have suffered. Riding injuries are up, notably among children, and lawmakers are looking for ways to control them.
Part of the issue is that people struggle to understand the difference between types of ebikes, and between ebikes and their faster cousins, e-motos. This often isn’t their fault. Lawmakers and vehicle retailers themselves have blurred the edges of the product categories, even though many places require riders of the most powerful ebikes and e-motos to meet age, licensing, and registration requirements.
Today, a kid might see a targeted ad online for an electric dirt bike capable of speeds exceeding 40 mph and ask their parents to buy it straight from the internet—neither understanding that no one, much less a minor, is legally allowed to pilot them on public streets without a license.
Here’s a handy guide to the different types of electric micromobility vehicles available, to help you keep them straight. Local laws vary, so buyers should research and understand what’s allowed on their local roads before whipping out a credit card.
Ebikes
The electric bicycle industry uses three “classes” to differentiate product capabilities. Class 1 ebikes have motors that kick in when the rider pedals—the assist stops at 20 mph. Class 2 ebikes also have this “pedal assist” functionality, plus throttles, so riders can travel up to 20 mph without pedaling at all. Class 3 ebikes have more powerful pedal assist that stops helping at 28 mph. (In some places, this limit is 25 mph.)
Thirty-nine US states incorporate these three-class systems in their laws. In general, they require Class 3 riders to wear helmets and be at least 16 years old. Some states require riders to be at least 14 or 15 to ride any ebike at all. Outside of the laws, ebikes are mostly regulated like standard bicycles, and riders must follow the same rules of the road.
Most states don’t require a license or registration to ride ebikes. As of 2026, New Jersey and Alaska are the two exceptions. New Jersey requires registration and licensing for all ebikes, and insurance for Class 3 ebikes. Alaska, meanwhile, has no statewide ebike laws, and some locales, including Anchorage, require licenses for ebikes with sustained output over 750 watts, which can generally hit between 20 and 28 mph.