July 3, 2026 - (Dover, Delaware) On June 30 the Delaware General Assembly passed House Substitute 1 for House Bill 439, The Truth in E-Bike Marketing Act, sponsored by Representative Kamela Smith, M.Ed, to protect consumers from purchasing an electric moped or electric motorcycle with the belief that the device may be used in the same way as an electric bicycle reports The News Journal/Delawareonline and other outlets.
In the past year, three people have been killed in crashes involving motorized bikes in Delaware where e-bikes are defined by the 3-class system initiated in 2015 by PeopleforBikes and the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association (BPSA), and currently adopted by over 40 states.
According to James Wilson, executive director of Bike Delaware, some people who purchase a motorized bike are often uneducated about what kind of vehicle they are buying. “Parents have no idea that what they are actually giving their kid is a motor vehicle,” he told The News Journal.
The new Bill prohibits dealers from advertising high-powered motor vehicles using terms like “electric bicycle” or “e-bike” and also requires that sellers provide clear, written disclosures regarding the vehicle’s legal classification, maximum power, and the necessity for registration, licensing, and insurance.
“The opportunity to educate is at the point of sale,” said Wilson. To become law the new Bill needs to be signed by Governor Matt Meyer.
