
The car century was a mistake. It’s time to move on - ph0rque
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-theory/wp/2016/02/29/the-car-century-was-a-mistake-its-time-to-move-on/
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ph0rque
_Good public transport coupled with fast, safe, pleasant walking and bicycling
can easily meet the need for movement within our cities._

Where would you place the boundary between car and bike? Would one of these be
allowed in the city center?
[http://organictransit.com/](http://organictransit.com/) What about several
generations later, when it's just as fast as a car?

~~~
dalke
It's not like this is a new question as e-bikes and electric golf carts have
been around for decades.

Here's the EU definition for pedal assistance, from
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle_laws#European...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle_laws#European_Union_definition)
:

"Cycles with pedal assistance which are equipped with an auxiliary electric
motor having a maximum continuous rated power of 0.25 kW, of which the output
is progressively reduced and finally cut off as the vehicle reaches a speed of
25 km/h (16 mph) or if the cyclist stops pedaling."

If it goes "just as fast as a car" then it requires a licensed driver, and it
is not permitted on the bicycle lanes any more than an electric motorcycle
would be.

The FAQ on the Organic Transit site points out that while it's a motor
assisted bicycle under federal laws, some states classify it as a moped or
motorized bicycle.

The boundaries for what counts as a "bike" will necessarily require an
arbitrary definition, just like the boundary between different classes of
moped and motorcycles. Here in Sweden, for example, a class 2 moped (the
smallest type) is designed for a top speed of 25 km/h, has an engine with
maximum 1.0 kW, and unless marked otherwise can go on bike lanes, while the
heavier class 1 moped (maximum speed of 45 km/h) requires a license and
registration plates.

The vehicle you pointed to can go 20 mph using the electric motor, so in
Sweden would be a type of moped.

