Court upholds ban: Green Bike and Evikes cannot rent e-steps without permit

ORANJESTAD — The Court of First Instance of Aruba has rejected requests by Friendly Green Bike Company Aruba VBA and Evikes Corporation VBA to suspend the government order requiring them to stop renting e-steps, e-bikes and other electric vehicles without the required permit. The ruling was issued on September 16, 2026.

The case followed enforcement orders imposed on both companies on June 29, 2026. The government maintains that the vehicles fall under the legal definition of rental motorcycles and therefore require a permit under Aruba’s passenger transport ordinance.

Green Bike and Evikes argued that the law does not apply to e-steps and e-bikes and that stopping their operations would cause serious financial damage and could threaten the continuity of their businesses. The court acknowledged that their financial position is under pressure but found this insufficient to suspend enforcement.

According to the judge, e-steps and e-bikes are two-wheeled vehicles without a closed body that are powered wholly or partly by an electric motor. They therefore fall within the relevant legal definition. Because Green Bike and Evikes do not hold the required permit, the court considers their activities to be in violation of the law.

The court also found no concrete prospect of legalization. The companies themselves had primarily requested that their permit applications be rejected, while the government had previously stated that there was no prospect of legalizing electric steps.

Both requests were therefore rejected. The government order remains in force, including a possible penalty of Afl. 500 per vehicle for every day or part of a day that the violation continues. No appeal can be filed against this ruling.