The electric bicycle market is growing fast as many young teens take their e-bikes and scooters to school.
For the past 16 years, Dough Schwartz has sold e-bikes and scooters at ELV Motors in Santa Clara.
In California, there are three e-bike classes depending on their features.
“This is what a lot of the kids love this is the Super 73 this is a class 3 at 28 miles an hour,” Schwartz said.
And then there’s the products marketed as e-bikes but the motor can go over 28 miles per hour.
“We put this as an off-road vehicle because you can flip the switch and it can do 50 miles an hour,” Schwartz said.
MORE: Bay Area lawmaker proposing restrictions on electric bikes for minors
With that power comes responsibility.
A recent UCSF study highlighted the dangers.
E-bike injuries doubled nationally from 2017 to 2022, while e-scooter injuries rose by 45% each year.
Co-author Kevin Li said the median age in e-bike injuries was around 39 years old, and e-scooters involved adults 30 years old.