Amazon Pulls High-Speed E-Bikes From California Sales After Fatal Crashes Involving Children
Amazon has agreed to halt California sales of e-bikes capable of exceeding state speed limits, following a string of fatal crashes — several involving minors — that prompted a consumer alert from the state’s attorney general and criminal charges against parents.
The move, first reported by Sacramento’s KCRA, comes after California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued an April alert warning of a surge in deaths linked to high-speed electric bikes and motorcycles. Amazon had continued selling e-bikes advertised at speeds above 40 mph, well beyond what state law permits.
What California Law Actually Requires
Under California regulations, pedal-assisted e-bikes cannot exceed 28 mph, while throttle-assisted models are capped at 20 mph. Vehicles capable of higher speeds are legally classified as motorcycles or mopeds, requiring a driver’s license and registration.
“We are seeing a surge of safety incidents on our sidewalks, parks, and streets,” Bonta said in his April statement. “To ride a motorcycle or moped, you need to have the appropriate driver’s license and comply with rules of the road.”
Amazon did not respond to a request for comment, but Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer noted on X that the company removed the flagged listings after KCRA contacted them. “The company said it has removed the examples provided and is investigating compliance for similar products,” Spitzer wrote.
Children Among the Victims
The crisis has hit young riders with particular severity. A 13-year-old boy in Garden Grove died earlier this week after veering into a center median at approximately 35 mph on a black E Ride Pro electric motorcycle.
In a separate case, an Orange County mother faces involuntary manslaughter charges after her 14-year-old son allegedly struck and killed an 81-year-old man while performing wheelies on an electric motorcycle. Spitzer has charged at least three parents in similar cases, calling the vehicles a “loaded weapon.”
Electric bikes and motorcycles have surged in popularity in recent years, particularly among teenagers — but that growth has been accompanied by a mounting death toll that regulators and prosecutors are now scrambling to address.
Broader Regulatory Push Underway
Amazon’s sales restriction is one piece of a broader regulatory response taking shape across California. The Los Angeles City Council is currently pushing to ban e-bikes from most city recreational trails, citing dangers to pedestrians and hikers. Under the proposal, e-bikes would remain permitted on designated bikeways, including paths along the L.A. River.
The episode underscores a recurring failure of major online retailers to proactively enforce product safety standards — acting only after public pressure, media scrutiny, or tragedy forces their hand. California’s intervention illustrates precisely the kind of state regulatory role that protects consumers when the market will not.