As powerful electric motorbikes such as those from brands like Sur Ron and Talaria become more popular, especially with teens, police departments in the US are increasingly cracking down on their use on public roads.

One of the latest examples comes to us from the Manhattan Beach Police Department in Los Angeles County.

The MBPD has seen an uptick in juveniles riding Sur Ron-style electric motorbikes, which fall far outside the regulatory limits of electric bicycles. These higher-performance vehicles can reach speeds twice as fast as legal electric bicycles and often feature 5x the power level. Critically, they also lack pedals and thus function more like light electric dirt bikes.

According to a recent post shared by the MBPD, the police department has continued to come across these vehicles being ridden by juveniles around the city. “Parents, please make sure those Christmas presents are being used legally and responsibly,” the MHBP stated, “so we don’t have to play the role of the Grinch.”

Further clarifying, the police department explained that such motorbikes aren’t legal for use on public roads or bike paths. “Talaria, Surron, ERidePro, and other similar-type electric motorcycles are not safe or legal for operation on city streets, sidewalks, or The Strand. A few juveniles have learned the hard way and found their ‘bikes’ on the back of a tow truck.”

The MHBP also shared an image below of multiple electric motorbikes being towed away. Ironically, one of the police vehicles at the scene is a police-issue electric-assist patrol bicycle.

More teens turning to high-power electric motorbikes

These powerful e-motorbikes are often marketed as electric bicycles, despite falling well outside the line of electric bicycle regulations. But because they’re readily available online, easy to ride, and are often improperly marketed as not requiring a license or registration for street use, they’ve proven popular with teens and young riders.

California recently passed new legislation more clearly delineating electric bicycle classifications, further underscoring the illegal nature of riding these types of vehicles on the road without proper motor vehicle registration.

However, many riders, particularly teens, are unaware that these bikes do not meet the legal requirements for bike paths or unlicensed street use, leading to traffic stops, fines, and sometimes even confiscations.

Law enforcement officials, as well as community watchdogs, often cite concerns about pedestrian safety, traffic violations, and the risk of accidents.

We’ve seen these crackdowns increase over the years as more police departments are forced to tackle the growing phenomenon of powerful electric motorbikes being ridden on public streets and bike paths as if they were normal electric bicycles.

The crackdown underscores the need for better education regarding these high-powered electric motorbikes, as they continue to rise in popularity among younger users.

via: MBNews

Portable bathroom company Diamond Environmental showcased its new, all-electric RIZON medium duty commercial truck at a San Marcos, California mobility event last month – and the verdict is in: these electric trucks don’t stink!

City officials from San Marcos attended the electric vehicle and sustainability-focused event, including San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones, San Diego Land Policy Advisor Hunter McDonald, and councilman Ed Musgrove. The stars of the show, however, were Diamond Environmental’s four RIZON e18L medium-duty commercial EVs.

“RIZON trucks are perfect for our daily local operations and align with our environmental and sustainability goals,” explained Alex Fortunati, CEO of Diamond Environmental. “Thanks to San Diego County’s incentive programs, we could economically make the transition to electromobility.”

Diamond Environmental equipped their RIZON electric trucks with stake bed/flatbed style bodies for two of the trucks, enabling a wide range of versatility for transporting portable toilet facilities, sinks, and other sanitation supplies to construction job sites and outdoor events like the Super Bowl in San Diego and the Coachella Music Festival.

For their part, the RIZON seems genuinely excited for the high-visibility partnership with Diamond Environmental.

“We’re pleased to support Diamond Environmental in their transition to zero-emissions RIZON trucks, enhancing both convenience and flexibility in their operations. Our sales team collaborated closely with them throughout the selection process to customize trucks that perfectly meet their business needs,” said Alex Voets, General Manager of RIZON USA. “We are proud to contribute to the innovations in today’s electric truck market, driving towards a more sustainable future for our communities.”

The RIZON offers fast-charging options for its 124 kWh battery pack, including DCFC up to 104 kW and Level 2 AC up to 14.9 kW, minimize downtime for the company’s daily delivery routes, achieving a range of up to 160 miles on a single charge. More than enough, in other words, to handle whatever loads Diamond Environmental will dump on it.

Funding for the trucks came, in part, from the Innovative Small e-Fleet (ISEF) Program that offers qualifying small fleets a minimum voucher of $120,000 toward an all-electric Class 4-5 electric truck, as well as region-specific incentives, like the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District’s grant program.

Electrek’s Take

There’s a total place in the North American market for an agile, easy-to-drive medium duty truck like the RIZON, and Daimler’s nationwide network of Freightliner and Western Star dealers should give first time MD buyers a bit more peach of mind than they might get from a startup brand.

SOURCE | IMAGES: Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA).

Developed by Indian company Farmrobo Technologies, the iMog is a fully autonomous, multipurpose electric farm tractor designed to be a cost-effective solution to support small-scale farming operations and hobby farms.

In constant development since 2019, the Farmrobo iMog weights in at “just” 550 lbs., and is just two feet wide and four feet long. That’s small enough to allow it to easily fit between tightly-packed rows of crops without damaging them. The robot’s small size also makes it pretty efficient – its 8 HP electric motor can run for up to 5 hours on its relatively small 90 AH LFP battery (about 4 kWh, assuming a 48V system).

The robot uses RTK-enabled GPS, which stands for “Real-Time Kinematic Global Positioning System.” RTK-enabled GPS combines standard GPS signals with real-time correction data from local base stations, delivering what the company calls “centimeter-level positioning accuracy.” The robot can then be programmed to operate on a given route or path by the farmer, or operated remotely via on-board cameras.

The iMog also features an innovative Power Take-Off (PTO) system that allows it to power a range of conventional attachments that includes a roto-tiller, high-tech sprayer, a mulcher, and more. The base robot retails for €12,000 and is available in India, the Middle East, and (now) in Europe.

As I write this, Farmrobo claims 20 examples of its iMog robot tractor are currently in operation, with many more on their way to customers.

Electrek’s Take

Y’all know I love a good electric tractor, but while the North American market seemingly wants to go bigger and badder than even Solectrac’s 25 HP machines, it seems the rest of the world understands that the biggest tool for the job isn’t always the right tool for the job.

Here’s hoping the Farmrobo team has better luck than Solectrac.

SOURCE | IMAGES: Farmrobo Technologies, via Future Farming.