What's happening
This bill raises the maximum speed for class two electric bicycles from twenty to twenty-eight miles per hour in New York.
Why it matters
Significantly increases the top speed limit for class two e-bikes, which could make these vehicles more appealing for commuters and delivery workers by allowing faster travel and potentially reducing travel times.
May lead to changes in how e-bikes interact with other road users, raising potential safety concerns and possibly triggering local debates or regulatory responses regarding bike paths, roadways, and pedestrian areas.
Could influence insurance, liability, and law enforcement practices, as higher speeds may alter accident risk profiles and the way e-bike-related incidents are handled by authorities and insurers.
Signals a broader shift in state policy toward embracing higher-speed micromobility solutions, which could encourage further innovation in electric transportation or prompt similar legislative changes in other categories of electric vehicles.
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Who cares
Class two e-bike riders
The bill would raise the speed at which motor assistance must cut off from 20 to 28 miles per hour.
E-bike manufacturers and retailers
The revised definition would allow class two e-bikes capable of motor-only propulsion to provide assistance up to the new 28-mile-per-hour cutoff.
Traffic enforcement agencies
The bill would change the motor-assistance speed cutoff used to determine whether an e-bike meets the class two definition.
Headline styles
Raise E-Bike Speed Limit
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1142
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 9, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the definition of class two bicycles with electric assist
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision (b) of section 102-c of the vehicle and traffic law, as added by section 1 of part XX of chapter 58 of the laws of 2020, is amended to read as follows:
(b) "Class two bicycle with electric assist." A bicycle with electric assist having an electric motor that may be used exclusively to propel such bicycle, and that is not capable of providing assistance when such bicycle reaches a speed of [twenty] twenty-eight miles per hour.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02374-01-5
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.