California AG Warns: Illegal Mopeds Disguised as E-Bikes Flooding State

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, joined by district attorneys from Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo counties, escalated warnings about a growing public safety problem: retailers selling mopeds and motorcycles disguised as e-bikes.[1][2] "Sometimes, what looks like an e-bike or is marketed as an e-bike is not a bike at all," Bonta said in the Tuesday alert.[1] "We are seeing a surge of safety incidents on our sidewalks, parks, and streets."[1] Under California law, legal e-bikes must stay within strict limits: pedal assistance capped at 28 mph, throttle assistance at 20 mph, and motors no larger than 750 watts.[1][2] Any two-wheeled vehicle exceeding these thresholds is classified as a moped or motorcycle and requires DMV registration, a valid driver's license, and compliance with traffic laws.[2][4] Retailers caught selling misclassified vehicles face criminal penalties, as do riders who illegally modify e-bikes to exceed speed or power limits without proper licensing.[1][2] San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins emphasized the consumer protection angle, particularly for families. "Unfortunately, many retailers are marketing and selling two-wheeled vehicles as 'e-bikes' when they do not qualify as electric bicycles in California," Jenkins said.[2] State law mandates that all legally compliant e-bikes carry a permanent label disclosing their classification, maximum assisted speed, and motor wattage—a requirement many illegal e-motos lack.[2][3] Class 3 speed-pedal-assisted e-bikes are restricted to riders 16 and older with helmets, while Classes 1 and 2 can be ridden by any age.[2] Bonta urged manufacturers and retailers to review the consumer alert and ensure compliance with state law.[1] The alert warns sellers they can only advertise devices as e-bikes if they meet one of the three legal classes and cannot advertise vehicles intended to be modified to exceed applicable limits.[1] Misrepresenting a device's characteristics, converting one for illegal use, or selling without required DMV occupational licenses constitutes a crime.[1] The coordinated alert reflects growing concern about high-speed electric vehicles flooding California streets and parks. Industry advocates welcomed the enforcement effort, with CalBike calling it "a welcome step" toward drawing a clearer line between legal e-bikes and "illegal high-speed electric motorcycles that are too often marketed and sold as if they are the same thing."[6] Parents and consumers are urged to verify their vehicles' specifications and purchase only from retailers selling legally compliant e-bikes.