Illinois Bill Creates Legal Path for 28+ MPH E-Bikes
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- Illinois Senate Bill 3336 passed the House 80-30 and now awaits final Senate action, backed by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, who argues current laws haven't kept pace with rapidly evolving micromobility technology.
- The bill formally adopts the three-class e-bike system: Class 1 and 2 capped at 20 mph, Class 3 pedal-assist up to 28 mph, all with motors up to 750W (one horsepower).
- A new "high-speed" e-bike category for vehicles exceeding 28 mph would require a driver's license, vehicle registration, insurance, and a title — mirroring motorcycle requirements — and be restricted to operating on roadways, per local news WTTW.
- Age minimums are set at 15 for Class 1 and 2 e-bikes and 16 for Class 3 models.
- Giannoulias said at a press conference that powerful electric two-wheelers appearing on bike paths and mixed-use trails amount to "literal motorcycles," framing the bill as a response to that grey zone.
Why it matters: Rather than banning high-performance electric two-wheelers, Illinois is building a legal on-ramp — treating anything over 28 mph like a motorcycle, with licensing, insurance, and roadway-only access. That trade-off gives riders of 30–40 MPH e-mopeds a legitimate path to the road while pulling them out of bike lanes, and it offers a concrete template for the growing number of states wrestling with the same classification gap.
