Originally Posted by
Duragrouch
They need to classify things by power, not whether it has pedals.
In my state:
Used to be 10 hp, which is why there were many outboards rated at 9.9 hp.
Do the same in spirit for e-bikes, with accordant power limits. And that should be based on ability for typical riders to climb hills in this town on electric. And that will favor mid-drive, to enable use of the bike gearing, without the bike being overpowered and too fast on the flats, and also e-speed should be governed for a max speed.
Mid-drives aren't ideal for everyone. While they climb better, if your chain breaks you are dead. My trike was hit by an SUV and the front end was crunched and the front wheels bent a little bit but I was still able to get home (slowly and bumpily) using the motor and throttle. My concern about a power limit classification is that you can't tell what power an e-bike is unless you stop and check. So anyone can ride any power e-bike anywhere, even e-motorcycles. Having pedals, even if performative, is a quick indication of a power limitation. I don't want to be riding my e-trike at 10mph along a path and get blitzed by someone on an e moped/motorcycle who pushes the speed when they think no one is going to catch them. If it has pedals, it doesn't go faster than reasonable (with rare home grown exceptions).