The New Year brought in several changes for the California cycling community. Among them, new regulations for electric bicycles (e-bikes).
January 1 marked the start of new regulations governing e-bikes, including a new classification system that makes many throttle-enabled bikes illegal on the street because their power levels mimic that of a moped or scooter, and rules for sellers that aim to prevent dangerous battery fires.
The law which ushered in these changes, SB-1271, was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in September and went into effect at the beginning of 2025. It cements the classification system and gives new direction to e-bike manufacturers and vendors on what battery and charging systems are allowed to be sold throughout the state.
E-bike types and the law
E-bikes have rocketed in popularity over the past several years, and for good reason: They offer a bevy of benefits from helping protect the climate to allowing riders get where they want to go faster than a traditional bicycle. However, they haven’t come without some contention.
Some of this contention has been over the class system of e-bikes – which now rules that class one and class three bikes cannot have throttles. Throttles are still allowed, but only in class two e-bikes, which can only reach speeds of 20mph.
The classification system per SB-1271 now reads:
Class 1: A bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of 20 mph.
Class 2: A bicycle equipped with a motor that may be used exclusively to propel the bicycle and that is not capable of providing assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of 20mph.
Class 3: A bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of 28mph, and that is equipped with a speedometer.
The law’s language allows class one and class three e-bikes to have start assistance or walk mode that propels the bike by throttle up to a maximum speed of 3.7mph.
That’s “likely because that is exactly 6 km/h, which is the regulation used in most EU countries that allow throttles to operate up to 6 km/h,” ElecTrek explains in their analysis of the new regulations. “That regulation exists because in such cases, the walking-speed throttle can essentially be used as a parking assist feature or to slowly roll the bike under its own power for repositioning purposes.”
This change has other implications, too.
“The law also affects motor power ratings, removing some ambiguity in the way manufacturers have often rated electric bicycle motor power output,” ElecTrek writes. “The new law removes the word ‘continuous’ from the legal definition, instead defining an e-bike as a bicycle with operable pedals and ‘an electric motor that does not exceed 750 watts of power.’”
Rules for sellers
SB-1271 also offered new rules for e-bike sellers. The law requires e-bikes sold throughout the state to use batteries with safety certifications.
“Most e-bikes and e-scooters are powered by lithium-ion batteries. This is the same type of battery that powers many of today’s electric vehicles, cell phones, laptops, and power tools. Though generally safe, if the batteries are poorly manufactured or abused they carry a fire risk,” bill drafters wrote of the changes.
“Experts point to uncertified batteries as being a major factor in the risk of lithium-ion battery fires. In order to protect consumers and the public, low quality powered personal mobility devices must be removed from the market,” they continued. “SB-1271 will enhance the safety and regulatory compliance of e-bikes and e-scooters by requiring all e-bicycles and e-scooters to be manufactured with batteries that meet the stringent standards of the EU and UnderwritersLaboratories. The bill represents a crucial step towards ensuring the safety of both users and the general public.”
Governments and advocacy groups throughout the state supported the legislation. The Marin County Board of Supervisors among them. They wrote a letter to Newsom in support of the bill and sponsored AB-1778, which was approved by Newsom in September, to create a voluntary pilot program in the county to allow only Class 1 e-bike use for riders under 16 and require helmets for all Class 3 riders.
SB-1271 was lauded for focusing on improving e-bike safety.
“It will help prevent most, if not all, battery fires, as those are usually caused by substandard batteries,” state cycling advocacy group CalBike said following the passage of the bill. The problem has been prevalent in New York City, where e-bike batteries have been responsible for at least three deaths and more than 80 injuries in 2024 alone.
In San Francisco, CBS reported that between 2019 and 2023 the San Francisco Fire Department recorded 174 lithium ion battery fires. Not all of those were due to e-bikes, but many of them were.
“The batteries for these devices are larger than in most consumer devices, creating more risk. They are also exposed to rougher conditions during their normal use increasing the possibility of damage,” bill drafters wrote. “However, according to a CBS news story, experts say much of the problem stems from unregulated aftermarket chargers that are not required to be certified causing overcharged batteries to malfunction and combust.”
In addition to those new regulations, the law also specifies that the following are not considered electric bicycles and cannot be advertised, sold, or labeled as such:
- A vehicle with two or three wheels powered by an electric motor that is intended to be modifiable to attain a speed greater than 20 mph on motor power alone or attain more than 750 watts of power;
- A vehicle modified to have such speed or motor power; or
- A vehicle modified to have its operable pedals removed.
Supporters of the new law say these new rules will improve safety for e-bike riders, whether they’re on the road or not, and offer a clearer distinction for classification as e-bikes continue to soar in popularity.