New Jersey passes law requiring licensing, registration and insurance for e-bikes – Jalopnik

E-bikes generally fall into a legal gray area between bicycles, which are not regulated at all, and motorcycles, which are heavily regulated like any other motor vehicle. That’s about to change in New Jersey, where a new law now classifies all e-bikes as “motorized bicycles,” reports 10 Philadelphia. This requires all New Jersey e-bike riders to have a driver’s license, registration and insurance. Then you might as well ride a motorcycle. On his last day in office, outgoing Governor Phil Murphy signed the bill into law in response to an increasing number of e-bike accidents and fatalities.

“It is clear that we are in an era where e-bike use is increasing and that requires us to take action and update regulations to prevent tragedies,” Murphy said. “Making our roadways safer for all users has been a top priority for my administration. I want to thank Senate President Scutari for taking the initiative to improve the safe use of e-bikes in New Jersey.”

Previously, only class 3 e-bikes were subject to these requirements NJ Bicycle and Pedestrian Information Center. These e-bikes can legally provide pedal assistance at speeds up to 45 km/h. Furthermore, it is all too easy to buy so-called ‘e-bikes’ that blatantly violate these restrictions, with kilowatt power (real e-bikes are limited to 750 watts) and speeds exceeding 100 km/h. As of 2019, New Jersey requires Class 3 e-bike riders to have a driver’s license (motorcycle endorsement not required), registration, insurance and to wear a helmet. Riders aged 15 and over who do not have a driver’s license can obtain a specialized motorcycle license. Class 1 and 2 e-bikes have not been regulated until now, but from July 19, 2026, these requirements will apply to all e-bikes regardless of class.

A 13-year-old boy died on September 24 after his e-bike was hit by a landscaping truck in Scottish plains, and a 22-year-old died on September 22 when police say he crossed into oncoming traffic on his e-bike and was hit by a van in Orange.
Two girls were killed on an e-bike in Cranford Mondaythe Garwood teen driver charged in the motor vehicle crash with two counts of first-degree murder, according to prosecutors.
Nationally, the number of e-bike accidents increased by 293% between 2019 and 2022, according to Researchers from Columbia University.

However, these accidents were all the result of cars hitting the e-cyclists. The driver in the Cranford crash has been charged, but who was at fault in the other two accidents is unknown. E-bikes have exploded in popularity in recent years, and more bikes on the road may explain the rise in e-bike accidents.

Still, e-bikes can be ridden faster than traditional pedal-assist bicycles, and often do so. Many of us in the Jalopnik Slack chat told stories about seeing kids in particular riding e-bikes like absolute maniacs. Comments on my recent post about some Amish adopting e-bikes also mentioned this. If I had had an e-bike as a kid, I would have been even more of a maniac than I already was. I definitely see a case for some form of regulation, especially for younger riders who have never experienced this kind of speed. That way they know that you should never ride with three people, like in the photo above.

However, I am not convinced that New Jersey’s approach is the right one. It adds more requirements and restrictions to the slower Class 1 and 2 e-bikes, making them less accessible than they are now, while not addressing the faster Class 3 bikes, or bikes that can exceed Class 3 restrictions, which should actually be sold as electric motorcycles. A provision in the law bans online sales of e-bikes for a year, temporarily halting purchases but not solving the underlying problems. Maybe licensing and rider training are good ideas, especially for kids, but passing a law for Class 3 e-bikes that doesn’t keep riders safe and applying it to all e-bikes doesn’t make sense to me.