City of Austin strengthening e-moto regulations

AUSTIN, Texas - The City of Austin is strengthening regulations on e-motos and educating people about the different types of electric transportation. 

Big picture view:

It can be hard to tell the difference between an e-bike and an e-moto just by looking. 

E-bikes go less than 28 mph. They can go anywhere a bike can, have pedals, and have a motor under 750 watts. 

Anything that goes above 28 mph is a motor vehicle. E-motos can go highway speeds and are greater than 750 watts. 

Because state law classifies e-motos as motor vehicles, they have to be registered, and riders have to be licensed and have insurance. You also have to wear a helmet on an e-moto if you're under 21. 

E-motos can't be ridden on sidewalks or nature trails. Riders under 17 can't operate e-motos without a license. 

You can be cited for dangerous behavior on an e-moto or not having insurance. 

APD doesn't have the number of citations they've given for e-motos because right now, it's classified the same way as someone who has an unregistered vehicle. APD is also making sure their officers have standardized training for classifying e-motos.

What they're saying:

"The calls that we get to are the kids that are driving through the neighborhoods at 40, 50 miles an hour on one of these E-motos and that vehicle is not registered. They obviously don't have a driver's license for it," APD Assistant Chief Mike Chancellor said. 

"The goal here is never to punish riders who don't know any better. It is about education and safety," Council Member Paige Ellis (District 8) said. 

"If you allow a child that's under 18 years old to operate a vehicle that they shouldn't be operated, then the parent can be cited for that," Chancellor said. 

Professional racer compares bike regulations between countries

Local perspective:

Ellis Spiezia, a professional race car driver with Ellysium Racing, compares regulations.

"I'm a 20-year-old race car driver. I can go out tomorrow and buy a 200-horsepower super bike that hits almost 200 miles an hour off the showroom floor. In Germany, I have to wait until I'm 25 until I have an unrestricted license," he said. 

The city is also looking at creating a recreation area specifically for e-motos. 

"The main challenge is having an outlet to get that need for speed and the safe space to do wheelies and ride it a little bit more spirited than normal. To have that space is going to be super important, and it kind of lets you get all that out of your system," Spiezia said. 

He says if you're thinking about getting an e-bike or an e-moto for your teen, do you research. He recommends practicing in an empty lot with cones.

"Start small. You know, the fundamentals that keep you safe on the road can all be learned at 10 miles an hour versus anything faster than that," he said.

AustinAustin City CouncilTransportation