Amazon stops illegal e-bike sales in California following KCRA 3 Investigates request
RESPONDERS AS WE HEAD INTO A WARM WEEKEND. THE BREAKING NEWS WE’VE BEEN FOLLOWING ALL DAY. AMAZON NOW HITTING THE BRAKES ON SOME E-BIKES SOLD IN CALIFORNIA AFTER A KCRA THREE INVESTIGATES RAISED CONCERNS. THESE BIKES HAVE BEEN A GROWING PROBLEM IN CALIFORNIA OVER SAFETY CONCERNS. THEY OFFER PEOPLE AN EASY WAY TO GET AROUND, BUT NOT ALL E-BIKES COMPLY WITH CALIFORNIA REGULATIONS. STATE LAW PUTS E-BIKES INTO ONE OF THREE CLASSES. CLASS ONE MEANS THE BIKE PROVIDES PEDALING ASSISTANCE AND GOES UP TO 20MPH. CLASS TWO MEANS E-BIKE, HAS A THROTTLE, BUT STOPS ASSISTANCE AT 20MPH. CLASS THREE MEANS IT HAS ASSISTANCE AT 28MPH AND REQUIRES RIDERS TO BE 16 OR OLDER. BUT SOME OF THE BIKES SOLD ONLINE DON’T FIT INTO ANY OF THOSE CATEGORIES. AND NOW AMAZON SAYS IT’S TAKING ACTION. THE COMPANY TELLS US IT’S NO LONGER GOING TO SELL E-BIKES THAT GO FASTER THAN STATE LAW ALLOWS. KCRA 3’S JASON MARKS IS HERE TO EXPLAIN. LAST MONTH, CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL ROB BONTA ISSUED A CONSUMER ALERT GIVING SOME GUIDELINES WHEN IT COMES TO E-BIKE SAFETY AND SPEEDS. HIS GOAL WAS TO REMIND EVERYONE WHAT IS ALLOWED UNDER STATE LAW. ONE OF HIS MAIN POINTS WAS, OF COURSE, SPEED. IN CALIFORNIA, E-BIKES WITH PEDAL ASSISTANCE CAN’T GO FASTER THAN 28MPH, AND THOSE THAT HAVE THROTTLE ASSISTANCE ARE LIMITED TO 20MPH. BONTA SAYS ANYTHING OVER THOSE SPEEDS IS NO LONGER CONSIDERED AN E-BIKE, BUT RATHER A MOPED OR MOTORCYCLE, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE ADDITIONAL LICENSING AND AGE REQUIREMENTS. SO IT GOT US WONDERING, HOW EASY IS IT TO GET AN E-BIKE THAT GOES MORE THAN 28MPH? WE FEATURED KENDRA RAMSEY ON CALIFORNIA POLITICS 360. SHE’S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CALIFORNIA BICYCLE COALITION, AND SHE WANTS EVERYONE TO KNOW WHAT THEY’RE BUYING. HAVING CONSUMERS UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY’RE BUYING. IF YOU GO ON AMAZON AND YOU SEARCH E-BIKE, YOU’RE GOING TO GET AN ILLEGAL DEVICE TODAY. SO HAVING HAVING A POINT OF SALE SHOW IS THIS ILLEGAL DEVICE OR HAVE A NOTIFICATION IMMEDIATELY THAT SAYS, THIS IS NOT AN E-BIKE, THIS IS A DEVICE THAT REQUIRES REGISTRATION OR A LICENSE. SO I WENT TO AMAZON, DID A QUICK SEARCH, AND SURE ENOUGH, THERE ARE PLENTY OF E-BIKES LISTED, MANY OF THEM BOASTING SPEEDS MORE THAN 40 MILES AN HOUR. I SENT AN EMAIL TO AMAZON ASKING THE COMPANY IF THEY KNEW THAT THEY WERE SELLING BIKES TO CALIFORNIANS THAT VIOLATED STATE LAW, AND I ATTACHED A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES. I QUICKLY GOT A RESPONSE FROM A SPOKESPERSON LETTING ME KNOW THAT SHE’S LOOKING INTO THE ISSUE. LATE YESTERDAY, I GOT A SECOND RESPONSE. THE COMPANY IS NOW REQUIRING ALL PRODUCTS SOLD BY THIRD PARTY SELLERS TO COMPLY WITH STATE LAWS, REGULATIONS AND AMAZON POLICY. THE COMPANY HAS ALREADY REMOVED THE EXAMPLES I SENT OVER AND WE’RE TOLD IS INVESTIGATING COMPLAINTS OF SIMILAR PRODUCTS AND WILL REMOVE THOSE TALKING TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. E-BIKES HAVE BECOME AN ISSUE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO SAFETY. EARLIER THIS YEAR, A 60 YEAR OLD WOMAN WAS KILLED AFTER BEING HIT BY A TEENAGER ON AN E-BIKE. OF COURSE, WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS DEVELOPING STORY AND I’LL KEEP YOU POSTED. JASON MARKS KCRA THREE NEWS. AND RIGHT NOW, IN THE KCRA 3 APP, OUR LATEST INVESTIGATION INTO THE ONGOING CRACKDOWN OF E-BIKES ACROSS CA
Amazon stops illegal e-bike sales in California following KCRA 3 Investigates request
Updated: 4:47 PM PDT May 8, 2026
Amazon has announced it will no longer sell e-bikes in California that exceed state speed limits, following a consumer alert issued by California Attorney General Rob Bonta last month.Bonta’s alert outlined guidelines for e-bike safety and speed, emphasizing that pedal-assisted e-bikes cannot exceed 28 miles per hour, while throttle-assisted e-bikes are limited to 20 miles per hour. He said e-bikes exceeding these speeds are classified as mopeds or motorcycles, requiring additional licensing and age restrictions.A search on Amazon revealed numerous e-bikes advertised with speeds over 40 miles per hour. After being contacted by KCRA 3 Investigates about the listings, Amazon responded, stating it is now requiring all e-bikes sold by third-party sellers to comply with state laws, regulations, and Amazon policies. The company said it has removed the examples provided and is investigating compliance for similar products. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
Amazon has announced it will no longer sell e-bikes in California that exceed state speed limits, following a consumer alert issued by California Attorney General Rob Bonta last month.
Bonta’s alert outlined guidelines for e-bike safety and speed, emphasizing that pedal-assisted e-bikes cannot exceed 28 miles per hour, while throttle-assisted e-bikes are limited to 20 miles per hour. He said e-bikes exceeding these speeds are classified as mopeds or motorcycles, requiring additional licensing and age restrictions.
A search on Amazon revealed numerous e-bikes advertised with speeds over 40 miles per hour. After being contacted by KCRA 3 Investigates about the listings, Amazon responded, stating it is now requiring all e-bikes sold by third-party sellers to comply with state laws, regulations, and Amazon policies.
The company said it has removed the examples provided and is investigating compliance for similar products.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel