You might not like it, but faster electric bikes can be safer. Here’s why
There’s a popular belief that slower equals safer. The concept is not entirely without merit, but it doesn’t apply universally, and especially not to electric bicycles.
For those brave enough to power through their gritted teeth and keep reading, let me explain.
When it comes to electric bicycles, the mindset of slower equals safer has translated into some pretty restrictive speed limits. While most US states allow a segment of e-bikes to reach speeds of 28 mph (45 km/h), many cities and jurisdictions have discussed limiting speeds. New York City, one of the most significant recent examples, enacted a new law that limits e-bikes to just 15 mph. That means riders in NYC will now be slower than even most European countries, with their 25 km/h (15.5 mph) limit.
But here’s the thing: that conventional wisdom doesn’t always hold up. In fact, I’d argue that faster electric bikes, especially those that can cruise comfortably at 25 to 28 mph, can actually be safer in real-world traffic.
Why? Because when your e-bike can keep up with traffic, you stop being an obstacle and start being a participant. And that makes a big difference.
As the internet’s resident e-bike guy, I’ve ridden just about every type of electric bike you can imagine, from mellow pedal-assist cruisers to high-powered, throttle-happy monsters. I’ve ridden on more types of roads than I can count and in more countries than I can remember. And one thing has become very clear: When riding in a city, the scariest and most dangerous part isn’t going fast – it’s being passed. Over and over again. By cars. Trucks. Buses. Trolleys. Anything that weighs 100x what your bike does. Sometimes with inches to spare.
When you’re riding a 15 or 20 mph limited e-bike on a street where traffic is moving at 25 to 35 mph, you’re not flowing with traffic. You’re impeding it. And drivers don’t like that. They get impatient. They make unsafe passes. They buzz you close to the curb. Even the ones who mean well still have to swerve into the other lane to get around you. It doesn’t matter that you have every right, both societal and legal, to be in that lane. It’s simply a perfect setup for conflict.
Now take a Class 3 e-bike – one that can do 28 mph with pedal assist – and the dynamic completely changes. Suddenly, you’re not the slowpoke in the bike lane or shoulder. You’re riding in the lane, keeping pace with cars. You’re visible. Predictable. You can merge when needed. You can also move back to the shoulder when you need to and allow a pass in a safe place (that doesn’t take as long to reach because now you’re moving faster). But you don’t have to spend the ride hugging the curb or dodging into the gutter just to stay out of the way. Because you’re not in the way, you’re part of the way. You’re an equal participant among the other road users (at least, in terms of speed).
In many cases, that extra bit of speed turns you from a second-class road user into a full participant in the flow of traffic. That’s not just better for you as a rider, it’s also better for drivers, because it reduces overtaking events and simplifies the entire dance of shared road use.
Of course, I’m not suggesting that e-bikes should be going 50 mph. There’s a reasonable ceiling here, and I’m happy to accept the current legal limit (in the US) of 28 mph for Class 3 electric bikes, since it doesn’t seem like we’ll be getting a hypothetical Class 4 e-bike standard any time soon. But the idea that “anything over 20 mph is inherently dangerous” just doesn’t match up with the way urban traffic actually works.
If anything, artificially limiting e-bikes to sub-traffic speeds creates more danger by increasing interactions between cyclists and passing vehicles. That annoying car on the interstate doing 50 mph when everyone else is doing 70 mph is a danger to itself and others. Why would you force e-bikes into the same situation while using an even more vulnerable vehicle?
And let’s be honest: most pedal cyclists already ride “illegally fast” when conditions allow. Plenty of strong cyclists on non-electric road bikes can cruise above 28 mph.
And many US Class 2 or Class 3 e-bikes hit 25+ mph with ease, especially downhill or with a tailwind. Yet we simply don’t see an epidemic of high-speed e-bike crashes.
Yes, crashes happen, but they simply aren’t a significant threat to life or limb the way car crashes are due to e-bikes employing considerably lower energy. And don’t get me started on the ‘threat to pedestrians,’ a fact-supported near non-issue compared to the number of pedestrians killed by cars every year. If your argument is that we should focus on the 1% of pedestrians killed by an electric bike instead of the 99% of pedestrians killed by cars, then you aren’t pro-pedestrian, you’re simply anti-ebike.
The problem here isn’t speed, it’s context. It’s mixing slow vehicles with fast ones without giving either group the tools to navigate safely.
What’s more, newer e-bikes are better equipped than ever to handle slightly higher speeds. Hydraulic disc brakes are becoming nearly standard equipment on all but the cheapest e-bikes these days, not to mention the inclusion of integrated lighting, wider/grippier tires, and upright geometries that all contribute to safer, more stable handling at 25 to 28 mph. These aren’t 1990s beach cruisers with motors slapped on. Modern e-bikes are increasingly built for the job of going faster and carrying heavier loads at those speeds.
And the riders? For the most part, they’re not daredevils. They’re commuters. Parents. Students. People who want an alternative to driving that doesn’t make them feel like second-class citizens on the road.
Yes, there are hooligans out there popping wheelies and being idiots on two wheels, or trying to pass off 40 mph non-street-legal Sur Rons as simple e-bikes (which, they aren’t). But those extreme rule breakers are not the majority of riders. And if you think they are, then I’d like to introduce you to that comfortable little overlap on the Venn diagram between confirmation bias and availability heuristic. That’s where you’re standing.
This is what frustrates me about efforts to clamp down on e-bike speed. The well-meaning argument is usually “but what if someone gets hurt?” But the overlooked danger is that a slower bike might put someone in more harm’s way by forcing them into the margins of the road where they’re harder to see and constantly being passed.
And I’m not totally blind to the unique dangers of higher speeds, either. Of course, there are situations where riding slower is undeniably safer. On crowded bike paths, in dense pedestrian zones, or during wet or low-visibility conditions, lower speeds give riders more time to react and avoid hazards. A bike zipping through a shared-use trail at 28 mph doesn’t belong there, and pushing for faster e-bikes or against arbitrarily low e-bike speed limits shouldn’t mean encouraging reckless riding. There’s a time and place for reasonably high speed, and a time to ease off the throttle or pedals. Education is paramount. We offer driver’s education for cars instead of programming a speed limiter into them. We teach drivers how to drive, rather than physically limiting cars to 40 hp and 65 mph, despite both being sufficient to drive on any road in the entire US.
As e-bikes become more powerful and accessible, particularly to teenagers and young riders, there’s a real need for better education around safe riding practices. High speeds come with higher risks, especially when reaction time and braking distance shrink. But acknowledging those risks doesn’t mean we should impose blanket limitations that restrict responsible riders from using e-bikes to their full potential. The answer isn’t capping all bikes at 15 or 20 mph – it’s smarter infrastructure, better training, and rules that reflect real-world conditions instead of a one-size-fits-all limit.
We need to shift the conversation. Instead of treating faster e-bikes like ticking time bombs, we should recognize their potential as safer, more effective urban vehicles. Yes, speed can be abused. But when used responsibly, it’s a powerful tool for staying safe and in control on the road.
Not every e-bike rider needs to go 28 mph. But every e-bike rider should have the option to keep up with traffic when conditions call for it. And cities should embrace that, not fight it, if they’re serious about reducing car dependency and improving safety for vulnerable road users.
Maybe one day the US will invest in better cycling infrastructure, and this won’t be as big an issue. But that day is not today. And with the way US cities are built now, sometimes the safest place to be is right in the middle of the lane, moving with traffic, not behind it.
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Are you wondering what kind of results you’d get if you added a home solar system to your roof? Homeowners are sharing their results online — and the real-world data might surprise you!
In a recent post to r/Solar, a Reddit user going by DontBuyBitcoin shared a screenshot indicating that their newly-installed ~11.5 kW system produced over 1,700 kWh of electricity in October. “Pretty surprised by the production of the system I got,” writes DontBuyBitcoin. “11.48KW. I cant wait to see what JUNE-AUGUST [2026] going to look like 😍 I wish SolarEdge will make their app better looking with more functionality”
Home solar energy chart
Other Redditors were quick to share in the enthusiasm. “Congratulations!!! Great numbers,” wrote LegalNet4337. “We got 1.6 MWh with a 14.45 kW system. East and West facing panels in SoCal.”
That 1,700 kWh is nothing to sneeze at. Based on the current national average electricity price of about $0.17/kWh (in AUG2025), DontBuyBitcoin’s admittedly large-ish system translates to ~$290 of potential savings. In a higher rate state like Illinois, with a projected 2026 kWh rate that’s closer to $0.18/kWh, that’s ~$306/mo.
We expect retail electricity prices to residential customers will average 17 cents per kilowatthour (kWh) nationwide in 2025, a 4% increase over 2024, and then rise to approximately 18 cents/kWh in 2026. This rise continues a trend in which residential electricity prices have increased at an average annual rate of 5% each year since the COVID-19 pandemic. The increase in retail electricity prices this year comes as the cost of natural gas to the electric power sector was up more than 40% in 1H25 compared with a year earlier, with similar year-over-year increases forecast for the remainder of 2025. The average cost of natural gas for power generation in our forecast increases another 17% in 2026.
Those are big numbers, but 11-15 kW rooftop solar systems are big. Significantly bigger, in fact, than the US average, ~6.6 kW in 2024 – but you don’t have to have a big system in order to post big numbers. Superior weather conditions and perfect PV panel placement can also get the job done, as another Redditor found.
“The last 2 days we have had perfect weather here in South Florida and I have been able to get over 30 kWh from a 5 kW system with a 3.8 kW inverter. This is the highest I have seen since getting PTO in September,” wrote Redditor dlewis23, who shared another SolarEdge graph. “I am super happy with seeing over 30 kWh in a single day.”
30 kW/day from home solar
Taken altogether, these real-world snapshots prove that whether it’s a modest 5 kW array or a beefy 10+ kW setup, homeowners out in the real world are seeing meaningful, measurable differences from their home solar installations. And, with retail electricity prices projected to keep on rising through the decade, every kilowatt counts.
Electrek’s Take
When we ran our “Why did you choose to go solar?” survey back in September, only 32.6% of respondents chose, “Lowering my monthly utility bills” as their primary motivation to go solar. That result proved, in my mind, that Electrek readers are just better people than most, and seem to be willing to spend a little more to do something positive for their environment and their community.
That said, wasn’t it no less a thinker than Albert Einstein who said, “Compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe” (Google it.)? And, with a 5% rate hike compounding every year from now until the AI and data center bubbles burst, the impact energy rates may have on all our pocketbooks may be enough to put “Lowering my monthly utility bills” back on top.
If and when that happens: be smart, get several quotes, and understand the difference between buying and leasing your PV system (especially if you plan on selling your home in the foreseeable future).
SOURCES: Reddit, EIA; featured image via Tesla.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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It seems like the writing was already on the wall last week when Volvo moved to make its Luminar-supplied LiDAR system an option – there are now reports that the Swedish car brand is set to ditch LiDAR tech entirely in 2026.
In a recent SEC filing following a missed interest payment on its 2L notes, Luminar confirmed that Volvo’s new ES90 and EX90 flagship models (along with the new Polestar 3) would no longer be offered with LiDAR from Luminar. The move signals a full reversal on the safety tech that had started as standard equipment, then became an option, and is now (according to reports from CarScoops) gone altogether.
In a statement, a Volvo Cars USA spokesperson added the decision was reportedly made, “to limit the company’s supply chain risk exposure, and it is a direct result of Luminar’s failure to meet its contractual obligations to Volvo Cars.”
This is what Luminar had to say about the current, icy state of the two companies’ relationship as of the 31OCT filing:
The Company’s largest customer, Volvo Cars (“Volvo”), has informed us that, beginning in April 2026, Volvo will no longer make our Iris LiDAR standard on its EX90 and ES90 vehicles (although Iris will remain an option). Volvo also informed the Company that it has deferred the decision as to whether to include LiDAR, including Halo (Luminar’s next generation LiDAR under development), in its next generation of vehicles from 2027 to 2029 at the earliest. As a result of these actions, the Company has made a claim against Volvo for significant damages and has suspended further commitments of Iris LiDAR products for Volvo pending resolution of the dispute. The Company is in discussions with Volvo concerning the dispute; however, there can be no assurance that the dispute will be resolved favorably or at all. Furthermore, there can be no guarantee that any claim or litigation against Volvo will be successful or that the Company will be able to recover damages from Volvo.
As a result of the foregoing, the Company is suspending its guidance for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025.
On November 14, Luminar confirmed that Volvo had terminated its contract altogether, in a blow that could leave Luminar rethinking its long-term future and planning litigation against its biggest ex-customer.
The news follows a host of significant upgrades to the EX90 that include a new, more dependable electronic control module (ECM) and 800V system architecture for faster charging and upgraded ADAS that improves the automatic emergency steering functions and Park Pilot assistant.
Electrek’s Take
You can’t spend years telling everyone you’re miles ahead because you have LiDAR, then ditch LiDAR, and pretend no one is going to call you out on it. They had better hope they don’t up on Mark Rober’s YouTube channel doing a Wile E. Coyote impression (above).
That said, it’ll be interesting to see if ditching the LiDAR has a negative impact there. Or, frankly, whether ditching the LiDAR and its heavy compute loads will actually help mitigate some of the EX90’s niggling software issues. It could go either way, really – and I’m not quite sure which it will be. Let us know which way you think it’ll go in the comments.
SOURCE: Luminar, via SEC filing; featured image by Volvo.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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The new John Deere Z370RS Electric ZTrak zero turn electric riding mower promises all the power and performance Deere’s customers have come to expect from its quiet, maintenance-free electric offerings – but with an all new twist: removable batteries.
The latest residential ZT electric mower from John Deere features a 42″ AccelDeep mower deck for broad, capable cuts through up to 1.25 acres of lawn per charge, which is about what you’d expect from the current generation of battery-powered Deeres – but this is where the new Z370RS Electric ZTrak comes into its own.
Flip the lid behind the comfortably padded yellow seat and you’ll be greeted by six (6!) 56V ARC Lithium batteries from electric outdoor brand EGO. Those removable batteries can be swapped out of the Z370RS for fresh ones in seconds, getting you back to work in less time than it takes to gravity pour a tank of gas.
And, because they’re EGO batteries, they can be used in any 56V-powered EGO-brand tools and minibikes for unprecedented cross-brand interoperability. Tools and minibikes that, it should be noted, can be purchased at John Deere dealers across the country.
The upsell scripts write themselves, kids. And when you start your dialing, tell your prospective customers their new Z370RS Electric ZTrak electric mower lists for $6,499, and if you order now we can bundle it with EGO minibike for the kiddos – just in time for the holidays!
Electrek’s Take
When John Deere launched the first Z370R, Peter Johnson wrote that electrifying lawn equipment needs to be a priority, citing EPA data that showed gas-powered lawnmowers making up five percent of the total air pollution in the US (despite covering far less than 5% of the total miles driven on that gas). “Moreover,” he writes, “it takes about 800 million gallons of gasoline each year (with an additional 17 million gallons spilled) to fuel this equipment.”
It should go without saying, then, that states like California, which are banning small off-road combustion engines, have the right idea.
SOURCE | IMAGES: John Deere.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
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