Amazon Implements Speed Limit Restrictions on E-Bike Sales in California
Amazon has made the decision to stop selling e-bikes in California that surpass state speed limits, following a consumer alert issued by California Attorney General Rob Bonta. The move comes after an increase in e-bike and e-motorcycle-related injuries and fatalities across the United States, with a 430% spike in Southern California over the past four years. Bonta's guidelines specify that pedal-assisted e-bikes should not exceed 28 miles per hour, while throttle-assisted e-bikes should be limited to 20 miles per hour to avoid classification as motorcycles or mopeds, which would require additional licensing and age restrictions.
In the Bay Area, an 11-year-old boy is facing a wrongful death lawsuit after an e-bike crash resulted in the death of a 4-year-old boy in Burlingame. Similarly, child abuse charges were brought against Benicia parents when their son was seriously injured in an e-moto crash in Walnut Creek due to reckless riding at unsafe speeds. In Southern California, a mother from Aliso Viejo is facing manslaughter charges after her 14-year-old son fatally struck an 81-year-old man while riding an e-motorcycle, despite being warned of the vehicle's illegality for the boy.
Following a search on Amazon that revealed e-bikes capable of speeds exceeding 40 miles per hour, the e-commerce giant has mandated that all e-bikes sold by third-party sellers must adhere to state laws regarding speed limits for e-bikes.