The legal ladder
Five Rungs, Set by Speed, Power and Pedals
Each rung is named by shape with its legal class beside it. Speeds and power are typical of current models; the legal limit sits in the class column.
| Rung (shape) | Typical top speed | Motor power | Legal class, US | Legal class, EU | Example makers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stand-up e-scooter | 12-22 mph | 250-1,000 W | Set by each state; no federal class | Set by each country: 20 km/h in Germany, 25 km/h in France | Segway-Ninebot, Xiaomi, NIU, Apollo, Unagi |
| E-bike, Class 1 and 2 | 20 mph | Under 750 W | Bicycle under the Consumer Product Safety Act; Class 1 pedal assist, Class 2 throttle | Pedelec under EN 15194: 250 W, assist to 25 km/h | Trek, Specialized, Rad Power Bikes, Aventon, Giant, Yadea, Fiido, Tenways |
| E-bike, Class 3 | 28 mph | Under 750 W | Bicycle; pedal assist only, speedometer required in most states | Speed pedelec, moped class L1e-B: plate, insurance, helmet | Stromer, Riese & Müller, Specialized, Gazelle |
| Moped-style e-bike, unlocked, or "Class 4" | 28-45+ mph | 750 W to several kW | No e-bike class; an unregistered motor vehicle on public roads | L1e-B or L3e motorcycle; type approval required | Super73, Ariel Rider, Himiway, Sur-Ron, Talaria |
| Seated e-scooter | 28-30 mph | 1.2-4 kW | Moped or motor-driven cycle under state law; plate and title | L1e-B moped: up to 45 km/h and 4 kW | NIU, Yadea, Aima, Segway-Ninebot, Vespa Elettrica, Silence |
| E-motorcycle (out of scope) | Over 45 mph | Over 4 kW | Motorcycle; license endorsement | L3e motorcycle | Zero Motorcycles, LiveWire, Energica, CFMoto, Sur-Ron |
Shape and class
The Same Frame Can Sit on Two Rungs
A moped-style e-bike such as the Super73 ships with pedals, a motor under 750 W nominal and a 20 mph cap, so it is sold as a Class 2 e-bike. Many of these bikes have an off-road mode or a firmware unlock that lifts the cap past 28 mph. Once unlocked, the bike no longer meets any e-bike class and, on a public road, is a motor vehicle with no plate, title or insurance.
The reverse also holds. A Class 3 commuter that looks like an ordinary bicycle is a bicycle in the US at 28 mph, but the same bike in the EU is a speed pedelec in moped class L1e-B and needs a plate, insurance and a helmet. Seated e-scooters from NIU, Yadea and Aima carry no pedals, so even at 20 mph they register as mopeds.
E-bike classes
US Classes Cap Speed, the EU Caps Power Too
Federal law in the US defines a low-speed electric bicycle as one with working pedals and a motor under 750 W that cannot drive the bike past 20 mph on motor power alone. Most states then sort e-bikes into three classes: Class 1 assists to 20 mph with pedaling, Class 2 adds a throttle to 20 mph, and Class 3 assists to 28 mph with pedaling.
The EU sets a pedelec at 250 W continuous with assist ending at 25 km/h, under EN 15194. Anything faster or stronger falls into the L-category motor vehicle regulation, EU 168/2013: L1e-A powered cycles to 25 km/h and 1 kW, and L1e-B mopeds to 45 km/h and 4 kW. Throttle-only e-bikes are L1e-A or L1e-B vehicles in most EU countries.
Body styles
15 Body Styles Share the E-Bike Rung
Each style below can be built as Class 1, 2 or 3 in the US, or as a 25 km/h pedelec in the EU.
| Style | What sets it apart |
|---|---|
| City | Upright position, fenders, lights and rack for commuting; Gazelle, VanMoof, Cowboy, Tenways |
| Cruiser | Swept-back bars and wide saddle for relaxed riding; Electra, Aventon, Pedego |
| Fat Tire | Tires 4 inches wide or more for sand, snow and loose ground; Rad Power Bikes, Himiway, Lectric |
| Hybrid | Flat bars and mid-width tires for sidewalk and gravel paths; Trek, Giant, Cannondale |
| Mountain | Suspension and mid-drive torque such as the Bosch Performance Line CX at 100 Nm; Specialized, Trek, Amflow with the DJI Avinox drive |
| Road | Drop bars and light, low-assist hub or mid drives; Specialized Turbo Creo, Orbea, Mahle drives |
| Touring | Long-range batteries, racks and full equipment for multi-day trips; Riese & Müller, Gazelle, Kalkhoff |
| Folding | Hinged frames that pack for trains and apartments; Brompton, Lectric, Fiido |
| Cargo | Longtail and front-box frames for children and freight; Tern, Urban Arrow, Riese & Müller |
| Trikes | Three wheels for stability and carrying; Lectric, Addmotor |
| Recumbent | Seated, feet-forward riding that spares wrists and back; HP Velotechnik, ICE, Catrike |
| Tandem | Two riders on one frame with shared assist; Pedego |
| Kids | Small frames with reduced power and speed limits; woom UP |
| Hunting | Quiet fat-tire bikes in camouflage with gear racks and trailers; QuietKat, Rambo |
| Police | Patrol bikes fitted with lights, sirens and equipment carriers |
In this section
In This Section
| Page | Covers |
|---|---|
| Stand-Up E-Scooters | Kick-style scooters, their speed caps by state and country, and the major makers |
| Moped-Style E-Bikes | Moto-styled e-bikes sold as Class 2 and what unlocking does to their legal status |
| Electric Mopeds & Seated Scooters | Pedal-less seated scooters registered as mopeds, US and EU L1e-B |
| Class 4 E-Bikes | Bikes above the 750 W and 28 mph limits, a marketing label with no legal class |
| Cargo E-Bikes | Longtail, front-box and three-wheel cargo bikes for families and delivery |
| City | Equipped commuter bikes for daily urban riding |
| Cruiser | Upright, comfort-first bikes for short, easy rides |
| Fat Tire | Wide-tire bikes for sand, snow and rough ground |
| Hybrid | All-round bikes for sidewalk and light trails |
| Mountain | Full-power and lightweight eMTBs, motors and trail access |
| Road | Drop-bar e-road and gravel bikes with light drives |
| Touring | Long-range trekking bikes for loaded travel |
| Folding | Compact folding e-bikes for transit and storage |
| Trikes | Three-wheel e-bikes for stability and carrying |
| Recumbent | Recumbent bikes and trikes with electric assist |
| Tandem | Two-rider e-bikes |
| Kids | E-bikes for young riders and age rules by state |
| Hunting | Quiet backcountry e-bikes and land-access rules |
| Police | Patrol e-bikes used by police and security departments |
Record
Sources
- US federal
- Consumer Product Safety Act, 15 U.S.C. 2085, low-speed electric bicycles
- US classes
- PeopleForBikes three-class model e-bike legislation, as adopted by the states
- EU pedelec
- EN 15194, electrically power assisted cycles
- EU L-category
- Regulation (EU) No 168/2013, Annex I; UK Department for Transport, L-category vehicle classification
- E-scooter rules
- Germany Elektrokleinstfahrzeuge-Verordnung (eKFV); France Code de la route, engins de déplacement personnel motorisés
- Products
- Manufacturer specifications from Segway-Ninebot, Super73, NIU, Bosch eBike Systems and DJI
- Last verified
- Q4 2026