Some of the nation’s largest retailers are finding themselves in New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani‘s crosshairs over products he says violate local law.
The mayor, 34, has sent cease-and-desist letters to 40 major retailers, including Target and Amazon, demanding they stop selling “prohibited motorized scooters and e-bikes” to city residents, PIX11 reported, Wednesday, August 5.
“It is the responsibility of retailers to only sell the vehicles permissible under New York law in our city,” Mamdani said, per the outlet. “New Yorkers trust that the product they are purchasing is legal in the city that they call home.”
Wayfair, Walmart and Temu are also among the online retailers receiving the letters, which demand the companies “immediately end the sale of prohibited motorized scooters and e-bikes to New York City residents” and businesses, Mamdani said, according to PIX11. Starting Aug. 18, retailers that don’t comply could face fines of up to $2,000 per sale.
Mamdani said the retailers are selling devices that violate the law, including e-bikes that exceed legal speed limits, scooters that surpass legal wattage limits, and mopeds lacking proper VINs, per the report.
According to the outlet, an Amazon spokesperson stated that the company is “looking into the products in question” and looks forward to partnering with the mayor on the issue. “Safety is a top priority and we require e-bikes sold in our store to meet applicable safety standards and Amazon policies,” the spokesperson said.
The crackdown comes a week after 17-year-old Gabriel Nacato was fatally struck by an SUV while riding an e-bike in Lower Manhattan, per the report. He had been traveling from Bensonhurst to fill out summer job applications with a career counselor.
“The vehicle he was riding is capable of reaching more than 30 miles per hour, a speed that should never be reached in our bike lanes,” Mamdani said, according to the outlet.
Per the report, the legal speed limit for e-bikes in the city is 15 mph, with a maximum device speed of under 20 or 25 mph depending on the bike type, and motors capped under 750 watts. Stand-up scooters cannot exceed 100 pounds or travel faster than 20 mph. “Let’s be clear, these are motorcycles being marketed to New Yorkers as bicycles,” Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn said.
As Globe previously reported, Mamdani has recently taken an increasingly aggressive approach to transportation and public safety issues. Earlier this week, he backed bringing back the city’s neon green “shame stickers,” which are placed on vehicles that violate alternate-side parking rules and interfere with street cleaning. He also made headlines after being loudly booed while speaking at Staten Island‘s annual National Night Out Against Crime event on Tuesday, where his appearance came amid continued debate over his evolving stance on policing.
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