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NYC Mayor Orders Online Retailers to Halt High-Speed E-Bikes.

8/7/2026

Summary

Mayor E-bike Crackdown

Mayor Zohran Mamdani sent letters to 42 online retailers on Aug. 5, ordering a sales halt by Aug. 18 or $2,000 fines.
The notice names Amazon, Best Buy, Target, Deepower, Segway and Wilson’s for selling devices that exceed 25 mph and 750-watt limits.
The crackdown follows the Aug. 5 death of 17-year-old Gabriel Nacato, who rode a QS7 capable of 30 mph.
City Council is considering a ban on Class Three e-bikes and delivery-worker app rules.

Summary

DOT Records Deaths

Fourteen scooter deaths this year, 52 percent of fatalities, involved scooters that could exceed 20 mph.
The DOT recorded 20 e-bike/e-scooter deaths, up from 13, and 28 percent rise in crashes; the NYC E-Vehicle Alliance praised the safety push and urged “Priscilla’s Law,” while City DOT said it cannot register thousands of e-vehicles.
NYC Hospitality Alliance warned licensing could burden workers, noting that NYPD began issuing summonses after the 2020 decriminalization was rescinded.

History

Historical Context

Mayor Bill de Blasio’s 2017 Local Law 42 used the city’s power to adopt local laws—legislation equal to state law and filed with the Secretary of State—banning sidewalk scooters and capping speed at 20 mph. The NYC Department of Transportation issued over 1,000 $500 citations, while the Rules of the City contain roughly 6,000 regulations, illustrating how municipal statutes now shape emerging-vehicle safety.

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Mayor E-bike Crackdown

Mayor Zohran Mamdani sent letters to 42 online retailers on Aug. 5, ordering a sales halt by Aug. 18 or $2,000 fines.
The notice names Amazon, Best Buy, Target, Deepower, Segway and Wilson’s for selling devices that exceed 25 mph and 750-watt limits.
The crackdown follows the Aug. 5 death of 17-year-old Gabriel Nacato, who rode a QS7 capable of 30 mph.
City Council is considering a ban on Class Three e-bikes and delivery-worker app rules.

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