Like camels in ancient Hatra or ferries on the Thames in Tudor London, electric bikes are etched on to the soul of 21st-century China. Each day, tens of millions of them cluster at the intersections of the biggest cities, waiting for the lights to turn green. Yet the country seems to be having significant difficulty regulating, and even defining, these vehicles.
When you buy an e-bike in China you must register it with the police. To comply with registration it must have pedals attached and is restricted to travelling at a 25km per hour speed limit. After registration is complete, however, the pedals, which look out of place on what is essentially a moped, are invariably removed. As for speed, that can be easily adjusted.
In Shanghai, e-bikes are the quickest way to get around. Given their access to special bike lanes, part of a relatively recent urban landscape, a journey that would take around half an hour by car can be completed in a third of that time. You do not need to pass a test to get a licence for one either.