Ebikes are in a weird place.

The good: US sales are way up from the start of the decade, after the pandemic sparked interest in two-wheelers and helped riders go farther, faster, and with less effort. More people also see ebikes as viable transportation options and as more affordable and accessible alternatives to increasingly expensive cars. The bad? Sales are down from two years ago, and bike manufacturers and sellers have suffered. Riding injuries are up, notably among children, and lawmakers are looking for ways to control them.

Part of the issue is that people struggle to understand the difference between types of ebikes, and between ebikes and their faster cousins, e-motos. This often isn’t their fault. Lawmakers and vehicle retailers themselves have blurred the edges of the product categories, even though many places require riders of the most powerful ebikes and e-motos to meet age, licensing, and registration requirements.

Today, a kid might see a targeted ad online for an electric dirt bike capable of speeds exceeding 40 mph and ask their parents to buy it straight from the internet—neither understanding that no one, much less a minor, is legally allowed to pilot them on public streets without a license.

Here’s a handy guide to the different types of electric micromobility vehicles available, to help you keep them straight. Local laws vary, so buyers should research and understand what’s allowed on their local roads before whipping out a credit card.

The electric bicycle industry uses three “classes” to differentiate product capabilities. ebikes have motors that kick in when the rider pedals—the assist stops at 20 mph. ebikes also have this “pedal assist” functionality, plus throttles, so riders can travel up to 20 mph without pedaling at all. ebikes have more powerful pedal assist that stops helping at 28 mph. (In some places, this limit is 25 mph.)

Thirty-nine US states incorporate these three-class systems in their laws. In general, they require Class 3 riders to wear helmets and be at least 16 years old. Some states require riders to be at least 14 or 15 to ride any ebike at all. Outside of the laws, ebikes are mostly regulated like standard bicycles, and riders must follow the same rules of the road.

Most states don’t require a license or registration to ride ebikes. As of 2026, New Jersey and Alaska are the two exceptions. New Jersey requires registration and licensing for all ebikes, and insurance for Class 3 ebikes. Alaska, meanwhile, has no statewide ebike laws, and some locales, including Anchorage, require licenses for ebikes with sustained output over 750 watts, which can generally hit between 20 and 28 mph.

When shopping for an ebike, buyers should keep an eye on motor wattage levels. Entry-level ebikes typically have 250-watt motors and are great for commuting and flatter leisure riding. Upgrade to 500 watts to reach about 20 mph with a throttle and ride up moderate hills; 750 watts is generally the legal limit for street-appropriate ebikes and is great for bigger hills and heavier loads. Vehicles that are 1,000 watts and over aren’t considered ebikes and are usually sold for off-roading and riding on private property.

Those 1,000-watt devices? Despite some manufacturers’ marketing claims, they aren’t legally bikes but e-motos or mopeds. E-motos don’t need to have operable pedals—in fact, sometimes manufacturers or riders add fake ones to make them appear as ebikes. They are throttle-dependent rather than pedal-assist. They can have between 1,000 and 6,000 watts of motor power and can reach top speeds of 60 mph.

Because these vehicles are more powerful, many states require riders to register them and obtain a license and insurance—just like motorcycles. In most places, the process for getting one of these licenses looks a lot like getting a car license. Riders can get permits or junior licenses at 16 or 17 years old and often must be legal adults to get a full license.

Beyond looking at a two-wheeled vehicle’s specs, e-motos have other visual tells. Ebikes have a classic slender bicycle-like frame; observers should be able to see clear “daylight” through the body of the device. They have slimmer tires and rear fenders that hug their back tires. E-motos are chunkier, with wide midsections and substantial battery packs, which block most “daylight.” They have substantial coil shocks to absorb road impacts. They usually have wide, knobby tires and big rear fenders that sit high above their wheels. E-motos often have fixed foot pegs, like motorcycles, versus classic pedals.

There’s a final, tricky twist. Many ebikes are electronically speed-limited and can be hacked to go faster via (often easily available) software modifications. Some can be modified physically, by strategically moving sensors or cutting wires. These changes can turn a once-legal ebike street-illegal. That can not only void a device's warranty but also strain other components, risking failure.

PeopleForBikes, a US trade organization, warns that some manufacturers enable this sort of dodge by putting pedals on e-motos and calling them ebikes. These vehicles can be easily “unlocked” or come with “off-road” modes that let them travel much faster.

“E-motos are motor vehicles,” the group says.