Local Fixes, Statewide Need: Updating Wisconsin’s Rules for E‑Bikes and E‑Motos

Electric bicycles (e-bikes) have been a game-changer in expanding access to active transportation and recreation through bicycling. At the same time, communities across Wisconsin are working to update local laws with the emergence of faster "e-motos" that have created growing safety and liability concerns. Local experiences highlight a need for updated state-level guidance to ensure continued safe and legal use of e-bikes in and across Wisconsin communities.

At the heart of the issue: regular e-bikes and more powerful e-motos function differently, but look very similar. Under Wisconsin Act 34, three classes of e-bikes are legal, with some restrictions on where Class 3 e-bikes can be ridden. Faster and more powerful e-motos operate more like mopeds, and Act 34 says nothing about e-motos or mopeds. (For more information about the technical differences and regulations, see the Wisconsin Bike Fed's e-bike resource page). As a result of the gray area, we've seen growing local confusion and concern about safety, liability, definition, and enforcement pertaining to e-micromobility in general.

In early March, local officials, advocates, and state leaders gathered in Madison at a Wisconsin Bike Fed policy briefing to discuss these challenges. The conversation made it clear that Wisconsin is at a crossroads, with local governments attempting to fill gaps left by the absence of consistent statewide guidance.

This matters, because the places people travel aren't confined to a single city or town. Riders need to count on consistent rules and regulations no matter where or what they are riding. Additionally, confusion about e-motos and e-bikes in the marketplace opens safety and liability risks. Case in point: Amazon's recent decision to stop selling e-motos in California after the tragic death of an 81-year-old man who was struck by a teenager riding an e-moto. Given all this, it's no wonder that local governments feel compelled to act.

What actions are we seeing in Wisconsin communities?

The City of Horicon, population 3,700, offers one example of how municipalities are responding. They recently updated their bicycle ordinance to clarify e-bike classes, establishing a separate category for electric micromobility devices, and drawing clear boundaries between bicycles and higher-powered motorized vehicles.

Other communities are taking a different approach.

The City of Fitchburg, for example, has adopted an updated bike and pedestrian plan that includes upcoming work on sidewalk riding rules and a resolution calling attention to the national scope of e-moto issues—urging federal and state action and cautioning municipalities against creating their own definitions.

Meanwhile, Ashwaubenon has developed a detailed reference guide covering bicycles, electric scooters, and similar vehicles, including youth helmet requirements, age-based enforcement procedures, and penalties.

And the City of LaCrosse updated its policy to better define e-bikes and e-scooters, along with the terms and locations of where both should be allowed to travel.

Many other governments across the state are currently considering or working on updates to their bike policies, including Sun Prairie, Marshfield, Neenah, and more. The City of Waunakee attempted an ordinance that was not adopted.

Together, these examples highlight both local leadership and the growing divergence in how communities define and regulate similar modes of transportation.

This growing patchwork is precisely what many leaders and advocates hope to avoid in the long term. As discussed at the Bike Fed briefing, the Governor’s Bicycle Coordinating Council (GBCC) has identified e-moto definition and regulation as its top policy priority for 2026, intending to develop formal recommendations to the Legislature at the start of the 2027 session. Council members have emphasized the importance of solutions that work for rural, suburban, and urban communities alike. Policymakers want to address not only safety, but also false advertising, consumer clarity, and consistent enforcement.

At the regional level, the Greater Madison Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) published guidance for municipalities on the regulation of e-micromobility devices in May 2026, with detailed background information, recommended definitions, and suggested regulations for local governments.

Local ordinances like those in Horicon and Ashwaubenon are not the end goal; they signal the need for clearer statewide direction. As more municipalities adopt varying definitions and regulations, the case for thoughtful and consistent statewide policy only grows stronger. Without that clarity, communities face increasing confusion and unnecessary barriers to the safe, legitimate use of micromobility tools, like e-bikes, that expand access and make active transportation more enjoyable and practical.

Wisconsin has an opportunity to encourage active transportation. By taking action, lawmakers can build on local examples, reduce confusion for riders and law enforcement, and protect access to legitimate e-bikes while also appropriately regulating and defining higher-powered devices. Achieving that will require coordination and a clear commitment from state leaders to move Wisconsin forward together, rather than leaving communities scrambling to navigate this rapidly changing landscape alone.

Want to learn more and join the conversation? APBP-WI, APA-WI, the WI Bike Fed, and others hosted a webinar about e-bikes in November 2025, and will host another on May 27. Click here to learn more and register, or access the previous recording. In addition, the WI Bike Fed's e-bike resource page provides recommendations on statewide legislation as well as advocacy resources.