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California Senate Bill 1167 will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027, and bars devices outside specified power and speed limits from being marketed or sold as e-bikes. Separately, a European cycling industry manifesto calls for enforcement against tuning kits and non-compliant imports; a cargo bike with a semi-solid-state battery and a compact conversion kit are also in the report.
California has passed Senate Bill 1167, which will bar devices that exceed specified e-bike speed and motor-power limits from being marketed or sold as e-bikes starting Jan. 1, 2027. The development is among several reported e-bike industry updates, including a European trade group’s call to restrict tuning kits and improve enforcement against non-compliant products.
Under the California measure, a qualifying e-bike must have pedals and a motor rated at 750 watts or less. Its top speed must be limited to 20 mph when using a throttle or 28 mph with pedal assistance. Devices beyond those thresholds may not be marketed or sold as e-bikes, and compliant bikes must carry a label showing their class and maximum speed.
Sen. Catherine Blakespear, who backed the bill, said in a press release that buyers and parents may not realize when a high-powered vehicle being sold resembles a bicycle but functions more like a motorcycle. She described clear identification and knowledge of a bike’s capabilities as part of bicycle safety. The bill concerns marketing and sale; the report does not detail how enforcement will work.
In Europe, European Cycling Industries (ECI) has issued a manifesto calling for a ban on the sale of tampering products such as speed chips and tuning dongles. It also argues that overseas online retailers selling non-compliant e-bikes or tuning hardware directly to consumers should be held accountable. The manifesto carries the names of 89 companies, including Trek, Tern, Bosch, Bafang and Amazon, and ECI plans to present it to EU policymakers.
The roundup also reports that German company Lemmo is taking reservations for its Lemmo 3, a full-suspension longtail cargo e-bike with a 960Wh semi-solid-state battery. The company says the battery is smaller, lighter and less prone to thermal runaway, claims that have not been independently established in the source report. Reservations require a €39.90 deposit toward a stated €1,890 price; a planned Kickstarter campaign is expected to list the bike at €3,390.
Another crowdfunding product, the Spiny 2, is a clip-on friction-drive conversion kit that its makers say can electrify a conventional bike in under three seconds. The report lists a maximum output of 750W, limited to 250W in the UK and EU. It notes that friction-drive systems can require careful setup and wear tyres, and that the kit is being offered through Kickstarter.
Rules Target E-Bike Mislabeling
California’s law addresses a safety and consumer-information issue: buyers need to distinguish regulated e-bikes from more powerful motorized vehicles. Requiring class and speed labels, alongside restrictions on how out-of-limit devices are marketed, could make that distinction clearer at the point of sale. The practical effect will depend on how state officials apply the new requirements after they take effect.
The European manifesto raises a related but separate issue: whether products that can alter an e-bike’s speed, or bikes that fail to meet local rules, can be sold online without effective enforcement. The document represents an industry request to policymakers, not an enacted EU-wide ban. Together, these developments show regulatory attention on both product definitions and how e-bikes are modified or sold.
The product news also carries practical implications for consumers. The Lemmo battery’s performance and safety claims remain company claims, while a crowdfunding conversion kit may not have the same established track record as a widely sold model. Buyers will need to check local limits and product details rather than treating advertised power or performance as proof of legal compliance.
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Different Markets, Different Rules
California’s measure sets specific criteria for what sellers can call an e-bike in that state, including pedals, a motor ceiling and speed limits tied to throttle or pedal-assist operation. Its scheduled start in 2027 gives sellers time before the rules apply, though the source report provides no implementation guidance or enforcement details.
ECI’s manifesto is an advocacy document directed at European Union policymakers. Its signatories include manufacturers, suppliers and retailers, and its requests cover both tuning hardware and overseas online sales. The report does not describe a passed EU law or a formal legislative timetable.
The products are at different stages: the Lemmo 3 is accepting reservations ahead of a crowdfunding campaign, while Spiny 2 is seeking backers on Kickstarter. Separately, UK commuters in participating Lime service areas can use a cycle-to-work scheme for an e-bike subscription. The reported offer does not include Lime e-scooters and is listed for London, Milton Keynes, the West Midlands, Nottingham and Oxford.
““Compliant European manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers increasingly compete against products that may not meet the same requirements for safety, performance and regulatory compliance and are usually offered at a lower price.””
— European Cycling Industries manifesto
semi-solid-state battery cargo e-bike
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Enforcement And Product Claims
The report does not specify which California agency will enforce SB 1167, what penalties may apply, or how sellers will be checked for compliance. The law’s effective date is reported as Jan. 1, 2027, but further implementation details are not included.
ECI has called for an EU-wide response, but it is not clear whether policymakers will adopt its proposals, what legal form any action might take or when it could happen. The manifesto is not itself a ban.
Lemmo’s statements about the semi-solid-state battery’s size, weight and resistance to thermal runaway are company claims. The report does not provide independent test results, delivery dates or further battery specifications. Spiny’s performance and installation claims likewise come from product promotion; the report does not establish how the kit performs across different bikes or under everyday conditions.
electric bike conversion kit friction drive
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Implementation And Launch Milestones
California’s next stated milestone is the law’s effective date, Jan. 1, 2027. Sellers and regulators will need to address labeling and classification requirements before then, though the report gives no schedule for guidance or enforcement announcements.
ECI plans to present its manifesto to EU policymakers. Any subsequent policy proposal, enforcement action or legislative timetable has not been announced in the source material. Lemmo is taking reservations ahead of a Kickstarter campaign, while Spiny 2 remains available for backing; delivery schedules and final product availability are not confirmed here. Lime’s cycle-to-work subscription offer is available in the listed UK service areas, for e-bikes only.
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Key Questions
What does California’s new e-bike law require?
Starting Jan. 1, 2027, a device marketed or sold as an e-bike in California must have pedals, a motor of 750W or less and speed limits of 20 mph with a throttle or 28 mph with pedal assist. The bike must also display its class and maximum speed.
Has the EU banned e-bike tuning kits?
No EU-wide ban is reported as enacted. European Cycling Industries has published a manifesto asking policymakers to ban sales of tuning products and address non-compliant online sales.
What is the Lemmo 3 battery?
The reported Lemmo 3 cargo e-bike uses a 960Wh semi-solid-state battery. Lemmo says it is smaller, lighter and less prone to thermal runaway, but the report does not provide independent verification of those claims.
Where is the Spiny 2 conversion kit available?
The Spiny 2 is being offered through Kickstarter. The report says its output is limited to 250W in the UK and EU, despite a stated maximum of 750W elsewhere.
Source: rss
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