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Students around the US are now heading back to college, but there’s one thing many of them won’t be able to bring with them: electric bikes and e-scooters. Several campuses are joining a growing movement in higher education, banning these efficient transportation alternatives.

Electric bicycles, which are similar to pedal bicycles with an additional small battery and motor, have proven to be an incredibly popular choice for university students navigating campuses and college towns.

They’re easier to ride than a pedal bicycle, don’t require arriving to class sweaty, and are also much less expensive than owning a car. Other advantages such as free parking and minimal upkeep also make them ideal for students.

E-bikes, which usually cost between $1,000- $4,000, are fairly expensive compared to pedal bikes, and thus many students keep them in their dorm room or apartment to prevent theft.

But many colleges are starting to ban these popular and environmentally-friendly forms of transportation, either from being kept in dorm rooms or from being used anywhere on campus. So far we’ve seen two main reasons for these bans, both of which are claimed to be rooted in safety.

ride1up 700 series

Fires and collisions

The two main issues at the heart of the debate around e-bikes and e-scooters on campuses relate to fire safety and collisions with pedestrians.

E-bike fires have grabbed headlines over the last year. There have been several deadly apartment fires in NYC that have been traced back to e-bike battery fires started during overnight charging.

While e-bike fires are incredibly rare (every day millions of e-bikes are charged without a fire), the small yet growing number of examples from cheaply-made electric bikes underscores that the issue can still prove lethal.

E-bike riders that flaunt traffic rules or ride aggressively on sidewalks around pedestrians have also lead to an increasing number of collisions, often injuring pedestrians. The problem can be exacerbated on college campuses that have a large number of students, meaning a penchant for riskier riding in an area with more pedestrians on their phones and oblivious to their surroundings.

Those two issues, fire safety and pedestrian injuries, are commonly cited among a growing number of universities telling students not to bring e-bikes and e-scooters to campus.

fuell flluid electric bike

Boston College administrators sent a letter out to students earlier this year citing both examples in their campus scooter ban:

“In recent weeks, Boston College administrators have become increasingly concerned about the use of e-scooters and other electric transportation devices on campus, especially in regard to the health and personal safety of riders, pedestrians, and building occupant. Many faculty, staff, and students have reported near-collisions and limited access to facilities because of scooters, and recharging lithium batteries in such vehicles has resulted in numerous fires around the United States.  Additionally, a number of BC students have suffered injuries from e-scooter falls, and such accidents have caused serious injuries on college campuses across the country.”

Fordham University, in New York City, banned any transportation device powered by a battery.

San Diego State University instituted a similar ban on battery-powered personal transportation devices, though reversed the decision after significant backlash.

Some campuses haven’t banned e-bikes outright, but won’t allow students to store them on campus, which often becomes a de facto ban.

Yale University recently sent out an email to all students announcing a new policy banning e-bikes both in on-campus housing as well as in the courtyards of buildings.

diamondback electric bike union

Electrek’s Take

I think these kind of heavy-handed regulations and blanket bans are an overreaction, doing more harm than good.

I could spend all day linking studies that show the tremendous benefits of e-bikes. Want to get to class faster, save money on public transportation and avoid rounding out with the freshmen fifteen all at the same time? Use an electric bike!

I know that when I was in college, there were times when I couldn’t physically get from one class to another in time due to the distance. I had two classes a half mile apart with ten minutes to get there. While that’s runnable, doing so with all your books and then navigating campus buildings makes it all but impossible. With an e-bike though, it’d be a snap. And that’s one of the many reasons that so many students turn to e-bikes. It’s the reason I did. This was back in 2009, and the next year I became the first person on campus with an e-bike. Hell, I was probably the first person in the city with an e-bike. So I’m not talking theoretically here – I’ve been in the student trenches and I know what a difference having an e-bike on campus makes for personal mobility. And it’s not just about getting to class on time. Getting around the city when you don’t own a car can be tough, but an e-bike makes it both easy and enjoyable.

I don’t mean to make light of the real safety concerns, but I think there is room for balanced solutions. Campuses can mandate that only UL-listed e-bikes are allowed on campus. The number of e-bikes fitting that list is growing every day. It’s easy to require students to show up at a campus office with their ride and get a sticker for it. No parking sticker? Don’t bring your non-UL-listed e-bike to campus.

For hooligan riding, just fine the hell out of them. College students are broke. I remember buying the $4.90 pizza that tasted like crap because the $5.00 halfway decent pizza across the street was more expensive. Put the fear of fines into students. Getting caught riding on sidewalks or riding recklessly can be policed into a manageable situation. Hell, put a bounty on it. Let students take pictures of someone riding recklessly and text it to campus police (who, let’s face it, usually aren’t overburdened with solving the case of the century most of the time). A $20 gift card to the campus bookstore is a small price to pay to cut down on the few bad apples that ruin it for all the responsible students just trying to mind their own business and ride safely to class.

In summary: stop banning e-bikes. Just incentivize safe, responsible e-bike use and punish rule breaking. That’s how society works. Why not start college students on it a few years earlier?

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Tenways launches Wayfarer e-bike with $577 savings at $1,899, Jackery Explorer 3000 V2 solar bundle at exclusive new $1,249 low, more

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24 mins ago

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October 31, 2025

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Tenways launches Wayfarer e-bike with 7 savings at ,899, Jackery Explorer 3000 V2 solar bundle at exclusive new ,249 low, more


Happy Halloween, everyone! The holiday is closing out this week’s Green Deals led by the brand new launch of Tenways’ Wayfarer e-bike that is getting $277 in FREE gear and a $300 price cut to $1,899. We also have an exclusive $1,750 savings on Jackery’s Explorer 3000 V2 (HomePower 3000) Portable Power Station bundled with two 200W solar panels at a new $1,249 low, as well as two one-day only deals on a heavy-duty Greenworks snow blower and Anker’s SOLIX C1000X Gen 2 variant, and much more waiting for you below. And don’t forget about the hangover deals from last week that are collected together at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s combined EcoFlow Halloween Sale and Monthly Madness promotions that end tonight, Rad Power’s extended sale offers, and more.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

Tenways launches new Wayfarer e-bike with 85-mile range, Apple Find My, and $577 savings at $1,899

Running alongside its ongoing Early Black Friday Sale, Tenways has launched its Wayfarer e-bike that comes with $277 in FREE gear at $1,899 shipped, after using the on-page code EARLYBIRD300 at checkout. This new model will go for $2,199 at full price once these launch savings end, which is getting a significant $300 markdown that sets the bar for future discounts, while also getting $277 in FREE add-on gear. That gear includes mudguards, a kickstand, and a rear cargo rack to bring some extra versatility. As always with this brand, folks who are medical providers, military, first responders, students, or teachers can receive an extra $100 discounts upon verification.

Whereas Tenways is known for its throttle-less commuters that have smaller motor and battery combos that add to their lightweight designs, the brand’s Wayfarer e-bike is flipping the script as it not only comes with a throttle, but also a larger Bafang 500W rear hub motor (peaking at 750W) powered by a 720Wh battery. This pairing gives you up to 85 miles of pedal-assisted support (with a torque sensor) and up to 35 miles of throttle-led full electric power, maxing out at either 20 or 28 MPH (depending on your local laws).

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Among its features, you’ll find hydraulic disc brakes with power cut-off, Kenda EPS all-terrain puncture-resistant tires, an 8-speed Shimano derailleur, an LED headlight, a brake-activated taillight with turn signaling, a TFT LCD screen for setting adjustments, and more. We’re even seeing some app-based support come in the form of a live dashboard for settings and performance, navigation services, and even Apple Find My integration so you always know where it is. You can learn even more in our original launch coverage.

You can also check out Tenways’ full Early Black Friday Sale with up to $1,116 savings here.

jackery's explorer 3000 v2 (homepower 3000) power station in yard with two solar panels

Score an exclusive $1,750 savings on Jackery’s Explorer 3000 V2 solar bundle with 2x 200W panels at a new $1,249 low

We’ve secured an exclusive deal on the Jackery Explorer 3000 V2 (HomePower 3000) Portable Power Station bundled with two 200W solar panels at $1,249 shipped, after using the exclusive code 9TO5BFJACK at checkout. This solar-expanded package usually goes for $2,999 in full, which we’ve seen regularly keeping down at $1,599 since mid-September, and has only gone as low as $1,499 up until today. It’s starting off with an initial price cut to that $1,499 rate that we only saw once before during Prime Day, with the exclusive bonus savings taking things lower than ever with a combined $1,750 markdown to a new all-time low price.

If you want to learn more about this power station’s capabilities, be sure to check out our original coverage of this exclusive deal here.

man clears snow with Greenworks 80V 24-inch cordless two-stage snow blower

Greenworks’ heavy-duty 80V 24-inch cordless two-stage snow blower kit hits $1,400 (Today only)

As part of its Deals of the Day, Best Buy is offering the Greenworks 80V 24-inch Cordless Two-Stage Snow Blower with two 4.0Ah batteries and dual-port rapid charger at $1,399.99 shipped, with it being unavailable at Amazon currently. While it goes for $2,000 in full here, you’ll find it carrying a lower $1,850 MSRP direct from the brand, which is where it’s currently priced. This is the first time in 2025 we’ve seen this particular model with this package being offered at a discounted rate, and for the rest of the day, you can save $600 off Best Buy’s pricing for the second-lowest rate we have tracked, coming in $100 above the low that we last saw in 2024.

If you want to learn more about this two-stage snow blower, be sure to check out our original coverage of this one-day-only deal here.

man and woman charging phone and drone outdoors with anker solix c1000x gen 2 power station

For the rest of the day, save $325 on Anker’s black SOLIX C1000X Gen 2 power station at $475

As part of its Deals of the Day, Best Buy is offering the very first discount we’ve spotted on the Anker SOLIX C1000X Gen 2 Portable Power Station to $474.99 shipped. Normally going for $800 at full price, this is the first time we’ve seen discounts on this black colorway, as opposed to the standard grey colorway that is sold direct from the brand (currently $449), Amazon (currently $450), and other retailers. For the rest of the day only, you can pick it up with a $325 markdown off the going rate. Keep in mind that this is identical to the standard grey model we’ve seen go as low as $379, and is only notable for folks who would prefer the darker color. You can also browse the newer SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 power station launch deals here.

If you want to learn more about this or the standard C1000 Gen 2 station, you can check out our original coverage of this one-day-only deal here, or get a more in-depth rundown in our hands-on tested review here.

Best Fall EV deals!

Best new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.


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Podcast: Tesla’s ‘flying’ Roadster, Elon’s pay, new EVs from Japan, and more

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2 hours ago

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October 31, 2025

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Podcast: Tesla's 'flying' Roadster, Elon's pay, new EVs from Japan, and more

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In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss Tesla’s ‘flying’ Roadster, Elon’s pay package, new EVs unveiled at Japan’s mobility show, and more.

The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.

As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.

After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:

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We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.

Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:

Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:


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Hyundai IONIQ 5 gets a superhero costume from Brian Kim Designs

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2 hours ago

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October 31, 2025

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Hyundai IONIQ 5 gets a superhero costume from Brian Kim Designs

IONIQ EVO - IONIQ 5 N Wide Bodykit CONCEPT

Just in time for next week’s SEMA show in Las Vegas, Brian Kim Designs has dressed up the all-electric Hyundai IONIQ 5 in a wild concept body with wings, flared fenders, wild colors, and a whole lot more – perfect for Halloween!

Based on the ultra-high performance Hyundai IONIQ 5 N, Brian Kim Designs’ IONIQ EVO concept considers one of the directions high-performance electric vehicles could take as the tuner cars of the future, and explores (what Kim calls) the, “untapped potential of EVs” in the broader aftermarket and customization space.

The IONIQ EVO features aggressively flared fenders that barely cover the high-performance VOLK wheels and sticky summer tire combination. The suspension is lowered slightly, too, to give the concept a bullish, broad shouldered stance that announces to the world that this Hyundai means business.

The colors, too – in a high-energy matte finish, were carefully chose to set help the IONIQ EVO apart from its more pedestrian cousins. You can take a look, below:

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The Kim-designed aerodynamics-enhancing concept also incorporates fin-type side skirt trims, a deep chin splitter, and outlet designs that extract dirty air generated by the wheels. A massive, roof-mounted spoiler with full-length aero fin for enhanced stability at triple digit speeds is, of course, also included.

Of course, all the spoilers in the world won’t make a car faster. For that, you need power – but it’s not quite as easy to get “more” power out of an electric motors as it can be from an ICE. Luckily, the IONIQ 5 N has power and torque to spare. That means that the best way to improve performance isn’t necessarily having more horsepower, but having fewer lbs. for each of the car’s horses to pull aruond.

The VOLK wheels help significantly, as do the lightweight Brembo brakes. To further reduce mass, the bodywork is made of lightweight composites – an approach we’ve seen before in the Lancia Delta-inspired Vanwall, which shed 500 lbs. from the IONIQ 5.

Kim’s website calls the IONIQ EVO exterior design, “an in-house customization concept by Hyundai Motor Company.” Here’s hoping the two get to collaborate again, soon.

Brian Kim Designs | IONIQ EVO

SOURCE | IMAGES: Brian Kim Designs.

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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