Good news for New Yorkers who are tired of walking or taking the subway: The state has legalized electric bikes and scooters.

The new bill, which adopted on June 19 last year, recognizes three categories of electric bicycles: pedal-assisted models with a maximum speed of 20 km / h, and butterfly bikes with a maximum speed of 20 km / h. H and bikes idle at 25 mph (although the latter is only legalized in New York, not in any state).

Electric scooters capable of hitting 20 mph will also get the green light, though the rules that will be in place to run scooter-sharing companies are still unclear. According to Electrek, you can drive your own motorcycle in Manhattan, but rentals will be prohibited.

Electric bikes and scooters are a relatively new way to get from one point to another. It takes time for authorities around the world to catch up and decide how to manage them. Some have chosen to ban them entirely, others have set up pilot programs, and still, others have decided that it should be legal to travel anywhere (as long as it doesn’t). embarrass you).

Electric scooters are particularly controversial, especially since companies like Bird and Lime, which have been known to flood cities with their paid scooters, without asking for permission beforehand.

The rules vary greatly from place to place. If you are thinking of buying our own electric scooter or looking for a service to share, check out our guide first: Are electric scooters legal?

The New York City Council on Thursday approved the legalization of electric bicycles and scooters for use on city streets, following the state’s decision to give local lawmakers control to regulate earlier this year. this class of vehicles.

On Thursday, the Council passed bills that allow New Yorkers to use electric bicycles with a maximum speed of 25 miles per hour and electric scooters with a maximum speed of 20 miles per hour.

A third bill directing the city’s Department of Transportation to develop a shared e-scooter pilot program similar to Citi Bike was also approved by the Council.

Councilman Fernando Cabrera, who sponsored the bills, said the package will revolutionize the way New Yorkers travel the city in a more environmentally friendly way, as well as reduce car congestion.

“Today we are moving forward to meet the transit needs of more New Yorkers: people who live in areas where there is not enough public transportation, people who cannot afford the public transportation fare, people who support their families by delivering food from restaurants, and people with disabilities that need more options, “Cabrera said.

Today, electric bicycles are the main tool of delivery workers, most of them immigrants.

Councilmember Carlos Menchaca said it took a global pandemic for New Yorkers to recognize delivery workers as essential to New York and criticized Mayor Bill de Blasio’s decision to crack down on this type of transportation since 2017.

De Blasio, on his side, said that he “will absolutely sign the bills” after talking with the Council. Regarding his initial opposition, de Blasio insisted that the city only followed the laws established by the state.

“It was illegal under state law and we are in no position to ignore state law. And there were real security concerns,” de Blasio said Thursday.

Governor Andrew Cuomo repealed bans on the use of electric bicycles and scooters in April as part of the state budget for the fiscal year 2021. The state’s provision puts the power in the hands of municipalities to decide whether they want to legalize the vehicles for local use.

In 2019, Cuomo vetoed a bill from the state legislature to legalize electric bicycles and scooters citing flawed safety measures.

Bills passed by the City Council Thursday also reduce fines for electric bicycles that do not meet legalization criteria from $ 500 to $ 250, Council President Corey Johnson said.

Electric scooters, a new way for faster and convenient transportation inside NYC

At a time when public transportation has never been less attractive, people are trying to find something to get them from point A to point B. This resulted in skyrocketing demand for bikes, scooters, skates, and other personal mobility vehicles. In addition to the lawsuit, New York State officially legalized electric bicycles and scooters after a state budget deal was reached in early April, making getting around on motorized wheels easier than ever.

If you’ve been considering a new mode of transportation, electric scooters are an especially good choice because they’re portable, energy-efficient, and really easy to ride.

It also should be noted that electric scooter technology has been improving year after year, making them lighter, faster, and energy-efficient.

When looking for a new scooter to buy, weight, speed, range, and battery capacity are the most important factors to consider (including your budget). The scooter usually weighs between 20 and 90 pounds, can reach speeds of 15 to 50 mph, and can reach even faster speeds. The distance (in miles) to consider when comparing models.

The experts we are talking about encourage inexperienced buyers to look for lightweight scooters because “it can be troublesome to get a scooter to and from an apartment or office,” said CEO and co-founder Manuel Saez ofBrooklyness, a scooter subscription service.

Many of the experts we talked to also emphasized the importance of suspension, which can make your scooter slide smoothly on the road even under undesirable conditions.

According to KC Cohen, owner of the Joulvert electric bike and scooter in New York, it will “ride like a jackhammer” without proper suspension.

Gibson warned that the electric scooter market is flooded with cheap models, which “usually are made of less durable parts and can be recalled.” Damon Victor of Greenpath Electric Bicycles agrees and says: “Whatever you do, don’t buy a cheap scooter with cheap shock absorbers. If you break the suspension at high speed, it’s too ugly.

Think about it,” said Eric Levenseller, chief executive officer of Levy Electric, “this is the level of after-sales support you will get. He added that inexperienced buyers It is often “thinking that the life of electric scooters will be as long as traditional low-maintenance bicycles.”

Although the design of electric scooters is simple, they have complex electronic systems and battery systems, which may need to be replaced over time. “Almost all the experts we talked to agreed with this view. Proper maintenance and good spare parts warrants.