- New York City’s mayor says he wants to restrict electric pedal cycles to 15 mph.
- Eric Adams’ move comes after residents complained of e-bikes going too fast.
- The city previously capped e-bikes at 25 mph and stand-up e-scooters at 15 mph.
The electric mobility industry is booming, and so are the sectors now relying on it, including urban deliveries. But New York City’s mayor says things have gotten out of control and wants to introduce a tough speed limit for e-bikes to cut down on accidents.
Mayor Eric Adams is proposing a 15 mph (24 km/h) speed limit for electrically-assisted pedal cycles in response to pleas from NYC residents worried about fast-moving bikes which often end up traveling where pedestrians are walking. That’s just over half the 28 mph (45 km/h) sprinter Usain Bolt reached when running the 100m.
Related: California Cracks Down On Fast E-Bikes Endangering Public Roads
“I’ve heard it in every neighborhood: New Yorkers are worried about e-bikes flying by and putting their families and children at risk,” Adams said in on X.
“Enough is enough. We will soon be implementing a 15 mph speed limit on e-bikes, so pedestrians AND riders can be safe on our streets.”
New York legislators already have regulations in place restricting e-scooters to 15 mph, but e-bikes were capped at 25 mph (40 km/h). The proposal would give both devices the same speed limit, one that broadly matches the rules in place in the European Union.
Questions Around Enforcement
Scooters and bikes are restricted to 15.5 mph (25 km/h) in the EU and bikes aren’t allowed to have electric motors making more than 250 W. Adams hasn’t mentioned wanting to introduce any kind of power restriction to New York, and although it won’t be difficult to apply the planned speed limits to new bikes, it’s unclear how it can be policed on existing bikes.
The mayor also claimed the city is exploring adding more physical safety measures in its parks to protect both pedestrians and e-bike riders and he called on council members to get behind his plan to introduce a license for delivery operators that he says could reduce crashes and battery fires.
That proposal, part of his Department of Sustainable Delivery initiative, has been sitting idle in the City Council for nine months. Still, his administration has pushed forward with infrastructure upgrades, adding nearly 88 miles (142 km) of new protected bike lanes and updating another 20 miles (32 km) of existing routes.
I’ve heard it in every neighborhood: New Yorkers are worried about e-bikes flying by and putting their families and children at risk.
Enough is enough.
We will soon be implementing a 15-MPH speed limit on e-bikes, so pedestrians AND riders can be safe on our streets. pic.twitter.com/VMy9Xiy3T2
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) June 5, 2025
