Massachusetts proposes ‘first in the nation’ e-bike and moped laws based on speed

Massachusetts lawmakers are considering one of the most comprehensive micromobility regulatory overhauls we’ve seen in the US yet, proposing a new legal framework that would categorize everything from bicycles and e-bikes to electric scooters and Sur Ron-style electric motos into a four-tier speed classification system.

And unlike many recent state proposals that have focused narrowly on restricting e-bikes, the Massachusetts bill appears to be taking a more nuanced – though still fairly aggressive – approach to defining where different types of electric vehicles belong.

The bill, known as S.3077, would formally recognize Class 3 e-bikes in Massachusetts law for the first time (they were previously classified as ‘motorized bicycles’ that required a license and DOT helmet like a motorcycle), now defining them instead as pedal-assist electric bicycles that stop providing assistance at 28 mph (45 km/h).

But that’s just the beginning. The bill goes much deeper, touching on every type of micromobility device, from your kid’s bicycle with training wheels all the way up to full-size motorcycles, and everything in between.