High-speed e-bikes are already banned from being sold in New York City, but some state lawmakers say that ban does not go far enough.
They say people sometimes think they are buying a legal electric vehicle, only to discover it is mislabeled.
New legislation introduced Wednesday aims to address that issue by banning the sale of e-motos, illegal high-speed electric vehicles that can travel more than 20 mph.
NY1 spoke with Mark near the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge. He said he has been hit by electric vehicles twice.
“It’s a very good idea, and it should be implemented already,” he said.
Erin, who lives near the bridge, said she is still shaken up by a fatal crash between an e-scooter and a bicycle this summer.
“They are very dangerous, especially for pedestrians and a lot of the traffic. And also just for regular bikers. So I think it’s a good idea,” she said.
In May, two men died after a head-on collision on the Queensboro Bridge involving an illegal high-speed e-scooter and a bicycle. In July, a 17-year-old died after crashing into an SUV while riding an e-bike in Lower Manhattan.
State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez is one of the bill’s sponsors. She said the speed of some electric vehicles can make a significant difference when it comes to safety.
“Across the boroughs, we have seen neighbor after neighbor pass because of crashes,” she said. “Today, many of the e-bikes you see, some of them are low speed. They will be 20 miles an hour and below. But without our new legislation, which we are introducing, there are many that also go over 50 miles an hour, which in a crash can be life or death.”
Gonzalez introduced the bill Wednesday with Assembly Member Diana Moreno.
The legislation would create a legal definition for “e-motos” and prohibit retailers from selling them to people in New York State. It would also require retailers to warn buyers that certain electric vehicles are not legal to ride on New York roads and prohibit e-motos from being advertised as e-bikes or e-scooters.
Both sponsors acknowledge that e-bikes and e-scooters are key ways for many people to get around New York. They say the legislation is intended to preserve those transportation options while also banning unsafe and unlawful vehicles from the road.
The city’s Department of Transportation has an outline showing which types of e-bikes and mopeds are legal in New York City and their speed limits.
For example, a Class 3 e-bike can reach 25 mph, but the speed limit is 15 mph, and users can ride them in the bike lane.
A Class A moped, meanwhile, can travel up to 40 mph. Riders must follow posted speed limits, have a license plate and register the vehicle with the DMV. Class A mopeds cannot be used in a bike lane.
Legislators say the goal of the bill is to improve consumer protections and make the streets safer for everyone.