05/30/2026
Warmer weather is here and soon schools will be out for the summer. These annual changes lead to more children and adults taking to two wheels to get around. For many years, this meant hoping on a trusted Huffy or Schwinn bicycle and rolling along as fast as legs could turn pedals. People-powered transportation has grown over time to include options like skateboards and scooters. Lately, manufacturers have discovered consumers are willing to spend money to have an electric motor do some or all the work of powering our bicycles, scooters, and all other kinds of small personal transportation contraptions.
Naturally, anyone who buys one of these electric assist vehicles is going to want to use it, and likely use it on public streets. It is important for owners of these vehicles to understand how to legally use these vehicles in Minnesota. The last thing anyone wants is to have their wind-in-the-hair feeling squashed by running afoul of state statute.
First, let’s talk about electric assist bicycles. These vehicles look like a typical bicycle, but with a more robust frame, possibly beefier tires, and an electric motor and battery mounted somewhere in or on the frame. Electric assist bicycles are divided into three classes. Each class has a different mechanism for how the rider applies the power assist, different threshold for when the bicycle applies power assist, and different limit on how fast it can go. Every electric assist bicycle is required to have a label affixed to it that clearly displays the bicycle’s class, top assisted speed, and motor wattage. Under Minnesota law, an electric assist bicycle may go no faster than 28 MPH and have a motor no larger than 750 watts.
An electric assist bicycle may be operated on the roadway under the same rules and conditions as a normal bicycle. However, parents and caregivers need to be mindful that Minnesota law prohibits anyone under the age of 15 from operating an electric assist bicycle under any circumstances. Owners of electric assist bicycles must also be aware of the fact Minnesota law allows local authorities or state agencies to restrict the use of electric assist bicycles in certain areas. Operators must be watchful for signs prohibiting electric assist bicycle use.
There is another type of electric vehicle that might be easy to confuse with electric assist bicycles. These vehicles are called eMotos and generally look like a dirt bike. Like electric assist bicycles, eMotos have electric motors. However, unlike electric assist bicycles, eMotos have no pedals that drive the wheels. Currently, eMotos are not legal to ride in Minnesota on roads or public property. If you are thinking of purchasing an eMoto, you must understand that they are restricted to use on private property only.
A popular transportation option for modern youth and some adults is the foot scooter. These vehicles have two wheels, a low-slung horizontal metal platform for the rider to stand on, and a tall handlebar attached to the front wheel. Increasingly, riders are opting to purchase foot scooters with an electric motor. Under Minnesota law, these vehicles cannot be capable of going faster than 15 MPH. Operators of motorized foot scooters must be at least 12 years old. Operators under age 18 must wear a helmet while riding a motorized foot scooter. Whenever possible, a motorized foot scooter must be operated as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway. Unless equipped with a headlight and taillight, motorized foot scooters must not be operated between sunset and sunrise, while precipitation is falling, or when visibility is impaired. Like electric assist bicycles, local governments and the state have the authority to designate areas as off-limits to motorized foot scooters.
The final consideration in using any of these motorized vehicles needs to be safety. This is especially true when parents or caregivers allow young riders access to these vehicles. While traveling at 15 to 28 MPH may sound slow and harmless, being involved in a crash on one of these vehicles, even at only15 MPH, could result in significant injuries. There is mounting concern from medical and safety professionals about the number and severity of injuries resulting from the use of these vehicles. Take the time to teach young or inexperience riders how to safely operate electric assist vehicles in low-risk environments before turning them loose on their own. Adults should also take time to get accustomed to the performance and capabilities of electric assist vehicles in low-risk environments before heading off to take on the world.
Before heading off to experience the open road listening to the quiet hum of an electric motor, ensure everyone is ready to do so safely and legally.
