Mayor Mamdani Issues Cease-and-Desist Orders to Online Retailers Selling Illegal E-Bikes
Written by: Rémy Rossi | August 11, 2025 | Time to read 5 min
New York City is drawing a harder line between e-Bikes and e-motos, and online retailers are officially on notice.
More about the Author: Remy Rossi
Rémy Rossi is a bike writer, mechanic, and educator who got his start in community-based bike shops and co-ops. With a decade in the industry, he still wrenches on bikes when he can and plays bike polo on a fixie.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration is stepping up enforcement, targeting online retailers that sell electric bikes and scooters that exceed New York City’s legal limits. The move was announced on August 5 at a press conference that laid out aggressive plans to strengthen street and traffic safety for all New Yorkers. Here’s what went down.
Cease-and-desist orders sent to online retailers selling illegal e-Bikes
New York City has issued cease-and-desist orders to 42 online retailers, directing they immediately stop selling illegal e-Bikes and e-scooters to customers in the city. The banned products fall outside the city’s definition of electric bikes, which max out at 25 mph and 750W of power. And the retailers on the list include the big ones, such as Target, Best Buy, Amazon, Temu, Walmart, Wayfair, among others.
The online retailers have until August 18 to comply by removing any illegal electric vehicles from their online catalogs. The penalty to the retailers is a fine of up to $2,000 for each illegal sale. It’s not a huge fine considering the gargantuan size of some of these retailers, but Mayor Mamdani emphasized that the point of the order is compliance, not the collection of fines.
Compliance should be straightforward for these businesses, reiterated Mamdani: “If they are selling an electric bike that can go faster than 25 mph, that’s illegal”. The New York State Attorney General previously issued a consumer alert on July 31 reminding New Yorkers and businesses of these e-Bike and e-Scooter safety requirements.
The New York Times reported that, “the city has seized thousands of illegal bikes and scooters and warned stores in the city not to sell them, but it has been more difficult to stop online sales.” The brick-and-mortar bike shops in the city largely understand and abide by local regulations and stock compliant e-Bikes, but online marketplaces allow customers to more easily skirt the rules, or buy products they mistakenly think are legal.
The online retailers have until August 18 to comply by removing any illegal electric vehicles from their online catalogs. The penalty to the retailers is a fine of up to $2,000 for each illegal sale. It’s not a huge fine considering the gargantuan size of some of these retailers, but Mayor Mamdani emphasized that the point of the order is compliance, not the collection of fines.
Compliance should be straightforward for these businesses, reiterated Mamdani: “If they are selling an electric bike that can go faster than 25 mph, that’s illegal”. The New York State Attorney General previously issued a consumer alert on July 31 reminding New Yorkers and businesses of these e-Bike and e-Scooter safety requirements.
The New York Times reported that, “the city has seized thousands of illegal bikes and scooters and warned stores in the city not to sell them, but it has been more difficult to stop online sales.” The brick-and-mortar bike shops in the city largely understand and abide by local regulations and stock compliant e-Bikes, but online marketplaces allow customers to more easily skirt the rules, or buy products they mistakenly think are legal.
Legal electric bikes vs. e-motos: what’s the difference?
“E-motos” are electric vehicles that, while appearing similar to legal e-Bikes, are faster and more powerful. They are perhaps better described as light electric motorcycles or electric dirt bikes— they fall outside the standard three-class system of legal electric bicycles. Specifically, New York City defines e-Bikes as having a top speed of 25 mph and a maximum 750-watt motor.
It’s important to know the difference between legal e-Bikes and e-motos because of the impact on rider and street safety. E-motos can travel significantly faster and weigh much more, increasing the risk of a crash. These illegal rides are popular among young riders and are increasingly involved in traffic incidents in New York City and across the US.
People can confuse e-motos with legal electric bikes. And when incidents happen with these illegal e-motos, it can produce backlash against legal e-Bikes and the cycling community in general, with calls for registration and license plates for e-Bikes (known as Priscilla’s Law).
Legal electric bikes, though, are largely incredibly safe— data from New York City’s bikeshare program Citi Bike backs this up. There are more than 5.5 million trips on Citi Bikes per month in the city, with 72% on e-Bikes, and, as the New York Times reports, “there were two fatal Citi Bike crashes last year and one so far this year, the company said, noting that last year’s crashes were “dooring incidents” in which a driver opened a car door into the path of a cyclist.” As many cycling advocates mention, the main culprit in bike and pedestrian traffic deaths is often cars or car-related incidents.
It’s important to know the difference between legal e-Bikes and e-motos because of the impact on rider and street safety. E-motos can travel significantly faster and weigh much more, increasing the risk of a crash. These illegal rides are popular among young riders and are increasingly involved in traffic incidents in New York City and across the US.
People can confuse e-motos with legal electric bikes. And when incidents happen with these illegal e-motos, it can produce backlash against legal e-Bikes and the cycling community in general, with calls for registration and license plates for e-Bikes (known as Priscilla’s Law).
Legal electric bikes, though, are largely incredibly safe— data from New York City’s bikeshare program Citi Bike backs this up. There are more than 5.5 million trips on Citi Bikes per month in the city, with 72% on e-Bikes, and, as the New York Times reports, “there were two fatal Citi Bike crashes last year and one so far this year, the company said, noting that last year’s crashes were “dooring incidents” in which a driver opened a car door into the path of a cyclist.” As many cycling advocates mention, the main culprit in bike and pedestrian traffic deaths is often cars or car-related incidents.
“Two of the biggest factors of the severity of a traffic crash are the speed and weight of a vehicle, which is why the proliferation of faster, heavier illegal e-mobility devices is such an alarming trend on our streets. While legal e-mobility remains a great option to get around the city, faster illegal e-Bikes and scooters are dangerous for everyone who shares our streets, including riders.”
—NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn
What e-Bikes are allowed in New York City?
This is the letter of the law when it comes to selling and riding electric bikes in New York City:
Under New York City law, it is illegal to sell or operate on public streets:
Under New York City law, it is illegal to sell or operate on public streets:
- Motorized stand-up scooters weighing more than 100 pounds or capable of traveling faster than 20 mph.
- E-Bikes equipped with electric motors larger than 750 watts or capable of speeds exceeding 25 mph.
- Seated mopeds that do not have and display a valid Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
“Cracking Down on Illegal E-Bike Retailers” press conference
“Today, we’re putting online retailers on notice: if you continue selling dangerous, illegal devices into New York City, you will be held accountable. We will use every tool available to make our streets safer for everyone who walks, bikes, drives or rides.” —Mayor Mamdani
Mayor Mamdani’s August 5 press conference emphasized the importance of street and traffic safety for the city. The Mayor opened his remarks lamenting the recent death of a 17-year-old New Yorker, who was riding an illegal electric bike and was involved in a tragic crash in Lower Manhattan.
He laid out the details of the cease-and-desist orders, which is the first major policy step in his wider plans for safer streets across the city. What’s next is the upcoming City Council hearing on e-mobility issues, which is to be held on September 30, covering 17 bills related to e-Bikes and e-scooters.
Key Takeaways
- NYC is targeting online sales: 42 online retailers have been ordered to stop selling illegal e-Bikes and e-scooters to New York City customers by August 18.
- Know the 25 mph / 750W limit: NYC defines legal e-Bikes as having a maximum speed of 25 mph and a motor no larger than 750 watts. Faster, more powerful e-motos fall outside that definition.
- Legal e-Bikes aren’t the enemy: The crackdown is focused on dangerous, non-compliant devices—not standard legal e-Bikes. Knowing the difference helps protect riders and the reputation of everyday cycling.
