The E Ride Shop

Electric bikes have found a rare point of consensus among U.S. lawmakers from both major parties, although not in the expected context of promoting their use. While the EBIKE Act, which proposed tax incentives for purchasing e-bikes, failed to gain bipartisan support and was left out of the Inflation Reduction Act, a new bill has emerged with unanimous backing from both Democrats and Republicans. This legislation focuses on creating federal safety standards for electric bike batteries, in response to concerns over fire risks.

Despite the low incidence of e-bike fires compared to other transportation risks, media coverage has amplified the issue, leading to increased legislative attention. The bill, which would direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission to regulate the construction and importation of e-bike batteries, has already passed through subcommittee and regular committee stages with full support. It now faces the challenge of being passed by the entire House of Representatives.

Even if the bill clears the House, it must still navigate the Senate, where agreement is harder to come by. Should it pass there, any amendments would require the bill to return to the House for approval. Ultimately, the bill would need to be signed into law by President Biden. While the move towards regulating e-bike batteries is seen as positive, it also reflects a broader cynicism about partisanship: lawmakers unite on imposing restrictions, yet fall short on promoting broader access to e-bikes, which could replace more dangerous vehicles on the roads.