E-Bikes Are Booming — But Can North Carolina Catch Up with Regulation?

Last Updated on April 16, 2025 by Kristina

E-bikes are everywhere—coasting through greenways, cruising beach towns, zipping alongside traffic. But in North Carolina, where their popularity is rising fast, the rules haven’t quite kept up.

Now, a bill introduced by Sen. Michael Lee (R-New Hanover) is stirring the pot. It proposes a statewide system to classify e-bikes and gives local governments new powers to regulate them. Some say it’s a step in the right direction. Others think it misses the mark.

Drawing the Line: What S.B. 576 Proposes

Right now, North Carolina law defines e-bikes pretty broadly: two or three wheels, operable pedals, and a motor under 750 watts, maxing out at 20 mph. But there are no statewide rules around helmets, speed limits, licenses, or rider age.

Senate Bill 576 would shake things up by putting e-bikes into three official categories:

• Class 1: Pedal-assist only, no throttle, capped at 20 mph.
• Class 2: Throttle-enabled, topping out around 22 mph.
• Class 3: Pedal-assist again, but can hit speeds up to 28 mph.

These categories aren’t new—they were first rolled out in California back in 2015 with support from PeopleForBikes, and over 20 states have followed suit.

If the bill passes, local governments could also require helmets for Class 1 and 2 riders, and enforce rules with penalties. Class 3 riders? They’d be legally required to wear a helmet, though it’s not clear whether that means a regular bike helmet or something closer to motorcycle-grade gear.

Safety, Speed, and a Whole Lot of Gray Area

That helmet detail might sound small, but it’s the kind of ambiguity that’s raising eyebrows. Lt. Jerry Brewer of the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office put it bluntly:

“A bike helmet with a 30 mile-an-hour crash ain’t the same thing as a motorcycle helmet.”

Concerns around speed, safety, and rider behavior are front and center. And while e-bikes themselves don’t come stock with supercharged motors, many riders—especially teens—are “hacking” them to go 40, even 50 mph.

Brewer says they’re already seeing risky behavior on the roads, especially from kids on juiced-up e-bikes weaving through traffic. It’s not a question of if someone gets hurt—it’s when.

Local Rules, Confused Riders

Across the Wilmington metro area and surrounding counties, rules are inconsistent at best. Some parks ban “motorized vehicles” outright. Others, like New Hanover County, have more specific bans on Class 2 and 3 e-bikes in parks. But there’s no clear playbook—just patchwork rules that leave riders and law enforcement guessing.

Even within advocacy groups, opinions are divided. Cape Fear Cyclists won’t allow Class 2 or 3 e-bikes on group rides, citing safety and insurance issues.

“I wish more people understood the difference,” said board member Eileen McConville. “A Class 1 pedal-assist bike is still a bike. But once you add a throttle, it’s a whole different experience.”

She’s not against e-bikes—far from it. In fact, she rides one herself. But she believes speed limits should be set for multi-use trails, and that blanket bans (like the one passed by Durham in 2024) go too far.

“I’m 69. My hips aren’t thrilled about hills anymore,” she laughed. “That little bit of battery assist—that’s my pixie dust. It keeps me riding.”

Too Broad or Not Broad Enough?

The bill’s intent is to clarify things, but critics say it doesn’t go far enough. Terry Lansdale of BikeWalk NC says the bigger issue isn’t the bike—it’s the rider.

“This is like banning Teslas because they could speed. It’s not about what a vehicle can do—it’s about how it’s used.”

Lansdale wants the law to focus on rider behavior: speed limits, education, enforcement. Without that, he says, classifying e-bikes won’t prevent accidents or keep trails safe.

He also questions how law enforcement would realistically identify and deal with e-bike classes.

“What happens when a rider from out of state rolls into Wilmington on a Class 3 e-bike? Do you ticket him? Confiscate the bike? It’s murky.”

Even local bike shop employees like Fritz Schuller of City Bicycle Company see the need for clarity. He says customers love e-bikes for practical reasons—beach parking, cheap transport, just getting outside. But many are confused about where they can ride and what the rules actually are.

The Bigger Picture

The rise in e-bike use isn’t just a trend—it’s a shift. More than a million e-bikes were sold in the U.S. in 2022, outpacing electric cars. And while they’ve technically been around for more than a century, modern battery tech has given them new life.

Post-COVID, the Wilmington area saw an explosion in e-bike use. Families, retirees, commuters—all jumping on board. But with that surge comes a new responsibility: creating rules that balance safety with access.

And as McConville points out, change is never easy—but that doesn’t mean it’s not necessary.

“Nobody wore seatbelts when I was a kid. But eventually, we made it law. Sometimes it just takes time—and maybe a few ‘click it or ticket’ signs along the way.”

What do you think about Class 3 e-bikes on greenways? Should speed limits be the priority—or bike types? Share your thoughts in the comments or tag us on social using #NCebikeTalk!

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