E-bikes were supposed to save us from traffic and make cities cleaner. Instead, we got teenagers hitting 30 mph on bike paths, apartment fires from exploding batteries, and local governments scrambling to write new rules before someone else gets hurt. Cities from coast to coast are cracking down hard, and the electric bicycle industry is learning what happens when you skip ahead to the future without thinking through the details.
- Carmel, Indiana passed the county’s first e-bike law with speed limits, age restrictions, and $250 fines for violations.
- New York City responded to deadly lithium-ion battery fires with trade-in programs and stricter safety certification requirements.
- Cities across California, Utah, and Illinois banned e-bikes from trails and parks after months of safety complaints.
What Actually Happened in Carmel
Carmel, Indiana just became the first community in Hamilton County to pass real e-bike regulations. City council voted 9-0 to approve an ordinance that separates actual bicycles from electric motorcycles pretending to be bikes. Residents had been flooding city council meetings for months with stories about close calls on the Monon Trail.
This new law draws a clear line between pedal-assist e-bikes and what officials call “e-moto” devices. Those are throttle-driven electric motorcycles that look like bikes but ride like something completely different. Speed limits and age restrictions are now in effect. Violations can cost riders up to $250.
Matt Snyder, who co-sponsored the ordinance, admitted the project took longer than expected. David Cabanban owns an e-bike store in the area and estimates about 60% of bikes on the Monon Trail are now electric. Here’s what nobody wants to talk about: adults commuting to work on reasonable pedal-assist bikes aren’t causing problems. Teenagers on 750-watt devices that can hit 40 mph are causing problems.
When Batteries Turn Apartments Into Fireballs
New York City has a completely different crisis on its hands. Lithium-ion batteries in e-bikes have killed 29 people and injured over 400 since 2019. Fire incidents jumped from 30 in 2019 to 268 in 2023. Most of these fires happen in apartments or above e-bike shops in residential buildings.
A February 2024 fire in Harlem killed journalist Fazil Khan when a battery being charged by delivery workers exploded. One death, 22 injuries, and an entire building of people traumatized because someone charged a battery in their apartment.
Local Law 39 now requires all e-bikes and batteries sold to meet UL safety certification standards. Mayor Eric Adams launched a trade-in program allowing delivery workers to swap uncertified e-bikes for safer versions. Battery swapping stations are being installed so riders don’t have to charge batteries in their apartments. Fire deaths from lithium-ion batteries dropped from 18 in 2023 to just six in 2024. Progress is real, but painfully slow.
California Schools Draw a Hard Line on E-Bikes
Marin County parents reached a breaking point watching 12-year-olds show up to school on 750-watt throttle bikes. Multiple Bay Area school districts banned high-speed e-bikes from campuses after crashes sent students to the hospital. Menlo Park City School District prohibited students under 16 from bringing e-bikes that exceed 20 mph or operate without pedaling.
Police officers told school boards that kids are “hacking” their e-bikes to disable speed governors. Some modified bikes can hit 50 mph. At that point, you’re not looking at transportation devices. You’re looking at electric motorcycles without registration, insurance, or training requirements. One September crash at Hillview Middle School sent a teenager to the hospital with moderate injuries.
San Diego County passed Assembly Bill 2234, allowing local cities to ban children under 12 from riding Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes. At least four San Diego cities implemented these bans. Orange County passed regulations limiting e-bikes to 28 mph on county highways. Hermosa Beach banned e-bikes from the Greenbelt after teenagers threw fireworks from their bikes into a crowd.
Trail Wars Break Out Nationwide
Highland Park, Illinois banned e-bikes from all city parks and trails. Park City, Utah is dealing with electric motorcycles tearing up mountain trails. Boulder County had to write an entire manual explaining which trails allow e-bikes because hikers and mountain bikers kept getting into confrontations.
Here’s what makes this messy: many “e-bikes” exceed the legal definition. Some can hit 40 mph with a twist throttle. They don’t require pedaling. They’re motorcycles dressed up as bicycles to dodge registration and insurance laws.
Delivery workers in New York depend on e-bikes for their livelihoods. Climate advocates see e-bikes as a solution for urban transportation. Safety groups see teenagers flying past playgrounds at motorcycle speeds. Local governments are stuck trying to separate the guy commuting to work from the kid on an unregistered dirt bike. Nobody saw this mess coming when e-bikes first hit the market.
What Happens Next With E-Bikes
E-bikes aren’t going anywhere. What’s still up in the air is whether cities can write rules that separate useful transportation technology from dangerous electric motorcycles.
Carmel’s approach makes sense. Separate pedal-assist bikes from throttle devices. Set speed limits. Require age minimums. Enforce the rules. New York’s battery certification program shows progress is possible when you target the actual problem instead of throwing up your hands.
California’s school bans and age restrictions acknowledge what should be obvious: giving a 12-year-old a 750-watt electric motorcycle is a terrible idea. Writing rules that don’t crush useful technology while preventing this situation from spiraling further out of control is the tricky part. E-bikes could genuinely help reduce traffic and emissions. But that only works if people trust them, and right now, trust is in short supply.
Sarah Johnson