Proposed California law seeks to create new Sur Ron style e-bike category for legal status
California is set to shake up how out-of-class electric two-wheelers are regulated, as a newly proposed bill, SB 586, aims to clarify the status of electric bikes without pedals, officially dubbing them “eMotos” and classifying them as off-highway vehicles.
The new bill, introduced by Senator Brian Jones, tackles the confusing gray area surrounding pedal-less electric bicycles, which currently skate between classifications of bicycles, scooters, and motorcycles.
These types of electric two-wheelers are often referred to as Sur Ron-style bikes due to the popularity of Sur Ron motorbikes that launched the infamous format. In addition to Sur Ron, similar models can be found from manufacturers such as Talaria, E Ride Pro, Segway, and others. They are generally smaller than typical motorcycles or dirt bikes, often weighing around 100 to 140 lb (45-65 kg) and usually reaching top speeds of between 40-55 mph (65-80 km/h). Despite looking somewhat similar to conventional electric bicycles due to the use of like-sized frames, they lack pedals and function more like light dirt bikes.
Other than the catch-all term “Sur Ron-style” bikes, there hasn’t been a good name for this rapidly growing unofficial class of two-wheeler, at least not until now. Under SB 586, a new class of “eMotos” is explicitly defined as including electric two-wheeled vehicles built on “bicycle frames” but lacking pedals and traditional engine identification numbers, and not requiring traditional vehicle registration.
Instead, the new bill would have these “eMotos” regulated like other off-road vehicles, such as dirt bikes and ATVs, requiring them to have an official identification plate issued by California’s DMV.
If the bill passes, riders would need to follow established off-highway vehicle regulations, which include mandatory helmet use and restrictions on where these vehicles can be operated. The legislation also mandates the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and local law enforcement to create educational programs to promote the safe and compliant use of these vehicles in off-road areas.
California’s Division of Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation would collaborate with the CHP to develop comprehensive guidelines for using eMotos in designated state recreation zones, ensuring users understand their responsibilities and legal boundaries.
This would bring these Sur Ron-style e-bikes into the fold with a new legal classification, however they would still not be permitted on public roadways. Instead, their Off-Highway Vehicle classification would allow them to be legally used on public off-road trails, which is one of the main applications they were originally designed for – at least until they fell into favor with you riders who now use them largely for illegal street riding.
This legislative move addresses growing concerns around safety and enforcement difficulties caused by the current ambiguous classification of pedal-less electric two-wheelers like these, which aren’t designed to operate as street-legal electric motorcycles despite exceeding electric bicycle regulatory limits.
By explicitly categorizing eMotos as off-highway vehicles, California aims to eliminate confusion, enhance rider safety, and streamline law enforcement efforts in managing the booming popularity of electric mobility solutions.
Electrek’s Take
I largely agree with this move to create a legal classification for these bikes, even if the term “eMotos” isn’t a great choice. These pedal-less electric motorbikes were never designed with urban streets in mind. Most were built for fire roads, dirt paths, and off-road exploration – places where speed, power, and the lack of pedals make more sense and pose fewer safety concerns. By classifying them as off-highway vehicles, California is making it clear how and where these machines should be ridden, and that clarity is long overdue. This could also help prevent misuse on public streets and sidewalks, which has become a growing concern in many cities.
For folks who really want to ride these types of vehicles on the streets and treat them like mini-motorcycles, there are already street-legal versions like the NIU XQi3 that have jumped through all the regulatory hoops to design them for street-legal riding in North America. But for almost all the other ones out there, they just aren’t designed for road use and so that’s not where they should be.
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This world’s first fully electric deconstruction site is being hailed as a landmark in sustainable urban development — and it’s powered by Siemens technology and Volvo Group’s battery-electric trucks and heavy equipment.
The deconstruction project (that’s kind of like a really careful demolition) marks the first full-scale electric deconstruction of its kind, and serves as important proof that with the right partners and the will to do it, urban construction projects like this can be carried out sustainably, today – and all without fossil fuels. It’s all part of Siemens’ €500 million technology campus redevelopment, the deconstruction site in Erlangen, Germany, and marks a pivotal step in advancing sustainable urban transformation and circular construction practices.
In collaboration with the demolition specialists at Metzner Recycling, Volvo CE deployed a fully electric fleet of equipment assets specially chosen to deliver quiet, precision demolition across the 25,000 cubic meter job site.
As well as deconstruction tasks, the electric machines helped sort and process approximately 12,800 tons of construction waste, with 96% recycled into raw materials for future use – supporting the shift towards circular materials management.
VOLVO CE
“At Siemens Real Estate, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of sustainable construction and demolition,” explains Christian Franz, Head of Sustainability at Siemens Real Estate. “This groundbreaking electric deconstruction project boasts an impressive 96% recycling rate and is a testament to our commitment to achieving excellence in sustainability … this project illustrates how partnerships and determination can create a lasting impact and help shape a more sustainable real estate industry.”
In addition the construction equipment was hauled into the site by Volvo Truck’s battery electric semi trucks, enabling emission-free operations from demolition, to crushing, materials processing, and transport.
Electrek’s Take
With a full line of electric wheel loaders, excavators, articulated haul trucks – even drum rollers and off-grid charging solutions to haul around with their electric semi trucks – Volvo is in a great position to take advantage of increasingly restrictive noise and emission regulations across Europe.
It’s too bad they’re suing California to be able to pollute more.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Volvo CE.
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Hyundai offered a first look at the hot hatch earlier this week after unveiling the Concept Three, its first compact EV under the IONIQ family. The new EV, set to arrive as the IONIQ 3, already has a sporty, hot hatch look, but that could be just the start.
Hyundai has a new EV hot hatch in the making
The Concept Three took the spotlight at IAA Mobility in Munich with a daring new look from Hyundai. Based on its new “Art of Steel” design, the concept is a stark contrast to the Hyundai vehicles on the road today.
Hyundai took the “Aero Hatch” design to the next level, deeming it “a new typology that reimagines the compact EV silhouette.” And that it does.
When it arrives in production form in mid-2026, it’s expected to take the IONIQ 3 name as a smaller, more affordable sibling to the IONIQ 5.
Hyundai is set to unveil the electric hatchback next spring with an official launch planned in Europe in September 2026. According to Hyundai’s European boss, Xavier Martinet, the IONIQ 3 could make for the perfect EV hot hatch.
Martinet hinted that the IONIQ 3 could receive the “N” treatment, telling Auto Express that “The concept is quite sporty, and obviously you have heritage with N brand.” Hyundai’s European boss added that “it’s a fair topic to consider.”
Although it doesn’t sound too convincing, Hyundai’s head of design, Simon Loasby, called it “an opportunity.” Loasby was quick to add, “We’re not calling it N, it’s not approved yet.”
“But I think everyone in the company is realising what Europe needs, and that’s compact hot hatches, so it’s a topic for discussion,” Hyundai’s design boss added.
The Concept Three is 4,287 mm long, 1,940 mm wide, and 1,428 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,722 mm, or about the size of the Kia EV3 and Volkswagen ID.3. Both of which are set for hot hatch variants.
If the IONIQ 3 N does come to life, it will be the third Hyundai EV to receive the high-performance upgrade, following the IONIQ 5 N and IONIQ 6 N.
The IONIQ 5 N “was just the first lap,” according to Joon Park, vice president of Hyundai’s N Brand Management Group. He told Auto Express that Hyundai is “at the starting line” and plans to apply what it learned from its first EV hot hatch to upcoming models.
If you’re looking for an affordable electric hot hatch, Hyundai already offers one. After Hyundai cut lease prices last month, the IONIQ 5 N is now listed at just $549 per month. That’s $150 less per month than in July.
Want to test one out for yourself? You can use our link to find 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 models in your area (trusted affiliate link).
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The global wind industry is going to hit some unprecedented growth milestones, according to Wood Mackenzie’s Global Wind Power Market Outlook for Q3 2025. The world is on track to add its second terawatt of wind capacity by 2030. To put that in perspective, it took 23 years to install the first terawatt, which was reached in 2023. The second will come in just seven.
Wind is also set for a record-breaking year in 2025. Global additions are expected to reach 170 gigawatts (GW), with more than 70 GW coming online in the last quarter of the year alone. That means Q4 could add more capacity than the total installed in any full year before 2020.
This forecast represents a 13% jump from the previous quarter, primarily driven by explosive onshore growth in China. Global wind capacity is expected to double from 2024 levels by 2032. Outside of China, the industry is also expanding, though on a slower path. Excluding China, the world will reach 1 terawatt in 2031 and double 2024 capacity by 2034.
However, policy uncertainty and the Trump administration’s hostility toward the wind industry, particularly offshore wind, are negatively impacting the US market. Trump’s big bill act (OBBBA), passed in July 2025, ends tax credits after 2027. That’s sparked a rush of projects in the short term, but it drags down the long-term outlook. For the first time, the US has fallen behind India and Germany in forecasted 10-year additions.
“China’s dominance in the wind industry is becoming more pronounced,” said Sasha Bond-Smith, research analyst at Wood Mackenzie. “While other established markets struggle with policy uncertainty and economic headwinds, we’re witnessing an unequalled concentration of growth in China that’s reshaping the industry landscape.”
China’s onshore forecast jumped this quarter thanks to rising electricity demand from data centers and electrification. Wind is proving more profitable than solar in liberalized power markets, but China’s offshore wind sector is facing challenges. Sea-use conflicts are slowing or even halting projects already under construction.
Despite those hurdles, Wood Mackenzie now projects that wind could match solar’s power output in China over the forecast period. That would cement wind’s central role in helping the country meet climate goals while keeping up with surging power demand.
Elsewhere, onshore wind remains steady across Europe, Asia Pacific, and emerging markets, with tender results and pipelines supporting progress. Offshore wind is struggling, though. High costs and failed tenders are creating setbacks in Europe and delays in emerging markets. Policymakers are under pressure to rethink contract structures to keep projects moving.
“The wind industry’s most significant transformation in decades continues to unfold,” said Kárys Prado, senior research analyst at Wood Mackenzie. “While achieving historic scale, success will depend on how effectively the industry navigates this new geography of growth and adapts to evolving policy landscapes.”
Read more: FERC: Solar + wind made up 91% of new US power generating capacity in H1 2025
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