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