Trikes E-Bikes

Upright · folding · semi-recumbent · cargo

An electric trike has three wheels, so it stands up on its own at a stop and the rider never has to balance it. US federal law defines a low-speed electric bicycle as having two or three wheels, so a trike under 750 W is a Class 1 to 3 e-bike like any other.

Legal class
E-bike, Class 1 to 3
Wheels
Three
Usual drive
Hub motor
Balance
Not needed at a stop
Rear basket
Standard on most
US safety standard
UL 2849

What a trikes e-bike is

Three Wheels, No Balancing

An electric trike suits riders who are not steady on two wheels, who want to stop without putting a foot down, or who need to carry groceries and gear in a large rear basket. Older riders, riders with balance limits and riders in retirement communities are the main buyers.

Most electric trikes are delta trikes, with one wheel in front and two behind. They corner differently from a bicycle: the rider steers rather than leans, and they need lower speeds in turns.

US direct-to-consumer brands lead the segment: Lectric eBikes, Rad Power Bikes, Pedego and Addmotor. Tadpole trikes with two wheels in front are covered on the recumbent page.

Variants

Four Kinds of Trikes E-Bike

Trikes e-bike variants
VariantDefining traitSuitsExamples
UprightDelta layout, step-through frame, rear basketErrands and easy ridingRad Power Bikes RadTrike, Pedego Trike
FoldingFrame folds for car transport and storageRiders who travel with the trikeLectric XP Trike2
Semi-recumbentLow seat with backrest, feet forwardRiders who want back supportAddmotor Triketan
CargoLarge box or platformVendors and deliveriesSee Cargo E-Bikes

Drive and equipment

Hub Motors, Throttles and Large Baskets

Most electric trikes use a geared hub motor, rear or front, with a throttle and pedal assist, which makes them Class 2. A rear differential is rare; most drive one rear wheel. Parking brakes are common because a trike can roll away on a slope.

Batteries mount on the frame or under the basket. The wide rear track and heavy frame make trikes heavier than two-wheelers, so a larger battery is usual. See Drive Systems.

Rules and standards

Three Wheels Still Count as a Bicycle

Under the Consumer Product Safety Act, a low-speed electric bicycle has two or three wheels, working pedals and a motor under 750 W, so an electric trike follows the same Class 1 to 3 rules as a two-wheel e-bike. Width can limit where a trike fits: narrow paths, bike racks and some doors.

In the EU an electric trike with pedal assist to 25 km/h and 250 W is a pedelec under EN 15194; a throttle-only trike is an L-category vehicle. See e-bike laws by state.

Representative brands

Four Trikes E-Bike Makers

One representative model per brand. The hero chart shows each brand's lineup figure from the EbikesX brand dataset; brands with no recorded figure are left off the chart.

Representative trikes e-bike brands
BrandModelVariantLegal classDriveCountry
Lectric eBikesXP Trike2FoldingClass 2Rear hubUSA
Rad Power BikesRadTrikeUprightClass 2Rear hubUSA
PedegoTrikeUprightClass 2-USA
AddmotorTriketan M-330FSemi-recumbentClass 2Bafang rear hubUSA

Core brands with trike models

Core trike brands
BrandCountryDriveBattery (Wh)Representative model
AddmotorUnited StatesBafang (some models); others unnamed, rear hub, front hub960Triketan M-330F
CatrikeUnited StatesBosch (Active Line Plus), mid400Expedition eCAT
HP VelotechnikGermanyrear hub636Scorpion fs 26 S-Pedelec
ICE (Inspired Cycle Engineering)United KingdomShimano, mid400, 500Adventure
Lectric EbikesUnited Statesrear hub-XP 3.0
PedegoUnited Statesunverified (Gen2 750W motor, maker not named), unverified835Ridge Rider 2
Rad Power BikesUnited Statesrear hub-RadRover 6 Plus

Archive brands still selling trike models, with specs from 2020: Liberty Trike, Raleigh.

Every brand on file is in the brand directory.

Record

Sources

Brand data
EbikesX brand dataset, brands_2026 and type_page_brands, checked Q4 2026
Standards
Consumer Product Safety Act, 15 U.S.C. 2085; EN 15194; UL 2849
Last verified
Q4 2026