NYC Mayor Targets Online Retailers Over High-Speed E-Bikes and Scooters

Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued cease-and-desist letters to 42 retailers—including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Wayfair, and Temu—demanding that they stop selling electric bikes and scooters that exceed New York City’s speed or power limits. The letters give the firms until August 18 to comply; otherwise they face fines of $2,000 per violation. The city’s definition of a prohibited vehicle includes e-bikes capable of speeds around 28 mph and scooters that weigh more than 100 lb or travel faster than 20 mph.

New York City caps e-bike speeds at 15 mph and allows a maximum of 20-25 mph depending on the model; scooters may not exceed 20 mph. The crackdown follows the fatal crash of 17-year-old Gabriel Nacato, who was struck by an SUV while riding an e-bike that could reach over 30 mph. City officials have framed the issue as a public-safety priority, arguing that high-powered two-wheelers behave more like motorcycles than bicycles.

• Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn warned, “Let’s be clear, these are motorcycles being marketed to New Yorkers as bicycles.”

• Target has not responded to requests for comment.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani On NYC’s 42-Retailer E-Bike Crackdown

E-bikes are integral to New York’s delivery workforce, supporting services such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, and Amazon Flex. Tightening product availability could raise compliance costs for retailers and affect riders who rely on high-performance bikes for speedier trips. The mayor’s approach shifts enforcement from individual riders to the online marketplaces that list the devices, raising questions about how platforms will police third-party listings.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani On NYC’s 42-Retailer E-Bike Crackdown

• “Let’s be clear, these are motorcycles being marketed to New Yorkers as bicycles,” — Department

• “The vehicle he was riding is capable of reaching more than 30 miles per hour, a speed that should never be reached in our bike lanes,” — Zohran Mamdani, action under mayor