The Almaty Police Department is preparing legislative amendments to regulate the status of monowheels, electric skateboards, and high-speed e-bikes, which remain outside the legal framework due to their rapid growth in the city, reports infohub.kz.
At a press conference at the Regional Communications Service, police spokesperson Saltanat Azirbek stated that monowheels are currently not officially recognized as vehicles. Meanwhile, electric skateboards are increasingly appearing on the city's streets. The police believe it is impractical to develop separate laws for each new device and propose classifying them as personal mobility devices (PMDs), as is done in other major cities. This, according to the initiators, would enshrine the rights and responsibilities of owners at the legislative level.
"A monowheel is also a vehicle, but one that has not been approved as a vehicle — it is a personal mobility device. Their numbers have grown in the city. Electrically powered skateboards have also appeared. Therefore, the Almaty Police Department will likely soon make a proposal covering all personal mobility devices," Azirbek said.
Pedestrians and public activists have welcomed the removal of e-scooters from sidewalks to roadways, but the situation with e-bikes remains tense. Couriers and residents on heavy electric bikes continue to ride on sidewalks, sparking discontent.
"Logically, all of them should be categorized as personal mobility devices (PMDs) and have their obligations defined at the legislative level," the spokesperson explained.
The popularity of e-bikes surged after the reform of two-wheeled transport. Since April 5, 2025, mandatory registration of mopeds began in Kazakhstan, prompting many owners to switch to high-speed e-bikes to avoid the new requirements.
Current regulations do not have a separate category for powerful e-bikes, so they are treated as mopeds. Owners of such devices must register their vehicle at a specialized public service center, obtain a state license plate, purchase insurance, and carry the technical passport.
"They must undergo this procedure, obtain a state registration number and insurance, carry the technical passport, and thus bear the same responsibility as moped users," Azirbek reported.
It is worth noting that from August 25, new rules for e-scooters take effect in Almaty: riding on sidewalks will be completely banned, and only individuals with a driver's license will be allowed to rent them.