> Why doens't an E-bike doesn't need annual inspection while something like ... does require annual inspection?
Emission testing as a moped, which is inapplicable to e-bikes.
(Probably also some bureaucracy, but that's separate.)
> lightweight bike with an ICE
That's an oxymoron. You can, however, get lightweight and entirely stealthy e-bike.
That gives you much more for much less, saves you the terrible noise of a small ICE with improper exhaust dampening, saves you a lot of maintenance, and probably also saves you and those around you some lung cancer while we're at it.
Why doens't an E-bike doesn't need annual inspection while something like
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C3%A9loSoleX
does require annual inspection? Still looking for a real lightweight bike with an ICE. Speed wouldn't matter, 20MPH / 30km/h would sound reasonable.