However, e-bikes are seeing a decline and/or full ban in top-tier Chinese cities due to new traffic regulations and new road design.
I'm not sure what you identify is a trend as you suggest, rather I think it's just some exceptions. IMHO such regulations are generally for a small area, the equivalent of a pedestrian only mall zone or a few central downtown blocks. Often the motivation is to show off how "modern" the city is (as upwardly mobile Chinese city mayor / party member assumes modern exists in foreign perception, after publicly funded junket to Europe/Singapore/etc.).
I wouldn't be surprised if, in the future, we see such exceptions reversed. After all, old people have to get around and there is tremendous acceptance here of e-vehicles to cater for that market. (Theirs are often covered with a passenger area at rear, and lockable.) This factor alone adds reasonable weight to allowing smaller e-vehicles in the heart of all cities. What has been banned in the heart of many cities is motorbikes, and for good reason.
I'm not sure what you identify is a trend as you suggest, rather I think it's just some exceptions. IMHO such regulations are generally for a small area, the equivalent of a pedestrian only mall zone or a few central downtown blocks. Often the motivation is to show off how "modern" the city is (as upwardly mobile Chinese city mayor / party member assumes modern exists in foreign perception, after publicly funded junket to Europe/Singapore/etc.).
I wouldn't be surprised if, in the future, we see such exceptions reversed. After all, old people have to get around and there is tremendous acceptance here of e-vehicles to cater for that market. (Theirs are often covered with a passenger area at rear, and lockable.) This factor alone adds reasonable weight to allowing smaller e-vehicles in the heart of all cities. What has been banned in the heart of many cities is motorbikes, and for good reason.