HB1410

I would support this bill IF Class 1, 2, & 3 e-bikes were excluded.

Members of the New Hampshire House Transportation Committee New Hampshire State House 107 North Main Street Concord, NH 03301 Dear Legislators, I am writing to you as a resident of MA, and a leader in the New England personal electric vehicle community who frequently enjoys patronizing businesses, and public areas in New Hampshire. I have worked closely with Dave Topham and others of the New Hampshire Rail Trail Committee committee on prior legislative efforts and care deeply about the state's policies on transportation, safety, and innovation, and I appreciate the work you are doing to update regulations for emerging personal electric vehicles (PEVs). As you consider the new legislation defining and regulating Personal Electric Vehicles—including Electric Unicycles (EUCs) and OneWheel skateboards, that use self balancing technology similar to the Segway, I would encourage you to consider that for these devices, motor Wattage is not a good metric for classification. Many proposed or past PEV regulations rely on motor wattage limits (such as 750W or 1000W) to classify devices, similar to those used for electric bicycles. However, self-balancing devices operate fundamentally differently due to their self-balancing design. Unlike electric scooters or bicycles, where all motor power is dedicated to propulsion, a large portion of the electrical energy in self-balancing devices is used for maintaining balance, rather than forward movement. The motor constantly makes micro-adjustments to keep the rider upright, even at low speeds or when standing still. Estimates from riders and technical discussions indicate that up to 70% of the battery consumption can be attributed to these balancing functions, not propulsion. Applying the same wattage thresholds to EUCs, One wheels and any other self-balancing device to other vehicles would unfairly restrict safe, practical models without improving road safety. Self-balancing devices promote efficient, low-impact transportation that aligns with New Hampshire's values of independence and outdoor enjoyment. Excluding motor wattage from EUC and OneWheel classifications would allow responsible riders to continue using these devices safely on appropriate paths and roads, while still enabling sensible regulations on speed, safety equipment, and usage locations. Thank you for considering my perspective as a constituent who votes in every election. I believe this adjustment would create fairer, more practical rules that reflect the unique technology of Electric Unicycles and OneWheels. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Sincerely, Evan Hagberg NH Personal Electric Vehicle Committee New England Personal Electric Vehicle Committee