Electric bikes, or e-bikes, have become an indispensable mode of daily transport for hundreds of millions of Chinese families. By the first quarter of 2026, the national e-bike fleet had exceeded 420 million units, serving school runs, grocery shopping, commuting, and short-distance errands. However, over the past two years, many localities imposed blanket confiscations, unwarranted fines, and penalties for compliant parts, leaving riders anxious and frustrated.
In 2026, a transformative shift has begun. A wave of blanket e-bike confiscations has been suspended nationwide, with compliant vehicles no longer subject to random stops and fines. Shortly after, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) set a clear tone: “Whatever the people need, we will produce.” This policy change, from manufacturing to enforcement, marks a fundamental pivot from heavy-handed control to people’s livelihood needs. It is not simply a relaxation of regulation but a deep-seated transition toward serving the people, with every new rule targeting their real pain points.
**Ending Blanket Confiscations: Riding Without Fear**
In the past two years, e-bike owners faced similar frustrations: a legally registered bike would be randomly pulled over; forgetting a helmet or having a slightly larger basket led to fines or impoundment; some areas even imposed complete bans on legal e-bikes, making riders feel like they were evading law enforcement. Many complained that e-bikes were supposed to be convenient, yet they lived in constant anxiety.
This crude management style emphasized punishment over service, ignoring the livelihood nature of e-bikes. In 2026, the central government stepped in. The State Council’s Administrative Law Enforcement Supervision Regulations, effective February 1, established clear red lines: no random stops, fines, or impoundments without legal basis; no blanket city-wide bans on compliant vehicles; minor violations prioritized for education, not punishment. Subsequently, multiple regions simultaneously halted blanket confiscations, specifying that only severe violations—such as unlicensed, unregistered, illegal modification, scrapped vehicles, or drunk driving—warrant lawful impoundment.
From June 2026, a unified national standard for e-bike law enforcement has taken effect, invalidating all local “wild policies.” Compliant, licensed e-bikes no longer risk arbitrary stops. Minor infractions like forgetting a helmet or temporary illegal parking are handled with warnings, not fines or impoundment. Riders now feel they can finally ride without fear.
**MIIT’s Stance: No One-Size-Fits-All Standards, Pain Points Drive Improvements**
While ending chaotic confiscations eases pressure on the enforcement side, MIIT’s declaration—”produce what people need”—addresses pain points from the manufacturing side, ending the previous era of standards divorced from reality.
The old e-bike national standard set idealistic parameters that ignored everyday use, creating a contradiction: compliant bikes were impractical, while practical bikes were non-compliant. The most criticized feature was the mandatory 25 km/h speed limit, which cuts power automatically. For a 5-10 km commute, this speed means at least 30 minutes one way, inefficient even in moderate traffic. More dangerously, on downhill stretches, riders may want to accelerate to avoid hazards, only to experience a sudden power cut, causing loss of control—surveys show 32% of riders fear this “speed-cut” design most.
Beyond speed, three core pain points emerged: difficulty carrying passengers, limited storage, and poor climbing performance. Old standard bikes lacked rear seats, forcing parents to let children stand on footboards—more dangerous. Small baskets could barely hold groceries or bags. The 400W motor struggled on even slight inclines or against headwinds, dropping speed to 10 km/h or requiring pushing, earning the nickname “grandpa scooters.”
These real-world pain points fueled a thriving “de-speed chip” black market. Many shops offered free de-modding when selling bikes, and de-limiters were openly sold online—illegal but widely used because old-standard bikes couldn’t meet daily needs.
In 2026, MIIT responded directly to public opinion, stating that new standards must “both ensure safety and be practical,” rejecting unrealistic one-size-fits-all