Amazon Sells Kits Enabling Illegal E-Bike Conversions, Investigation Finds

Amazon is facilitating the proliferation of illegal e-bikes by selling Chinese-made conversion kits that can turn standard bicycles into high-speed machines, an investigation by The Mail on Sunday has revealed. These kits, available for under £500, allow for the creation of e-bikes that can travel at speeds significantly exceeding legal limits.

Under UK law, e-bikes are restricted to a maximum motor power of 250 watts, with electric assistance cutting out at 15.5 mph. Motors exceeding these specifications, or bikes modified to achieve higher speeds, are classified as mopeds or motorbikes and require registration, taxation, and insurance.

The investigation found that Amazon offers a range of conversion kits, including some with 2,000-watt motors capable of reaching speeds up to 40 mph. A reporter purchased a kit with a 500-watt motor, battery, and other necessary components for less than £500. After professional installation on a second-hand bicycle for £200, the modified bike could achieve speeds over 25 mph. The reporter noted that more powerful kits were readily available, with some specialist retailers advertising 5,000-watt kits and websites selling devices to bypass speed limiters.

This availability contributes to a surge in incidents involving illegal e-bikes, which police forces are struggling to manage. Seizures of illegal e-bikes rose by 83 percent in the 12 months leading up to May 19, reaching 7,049. Lawmakers have described these modified bikes as a tool for criminal activity, including phone theft, muggings, and drug dealing, with gangs increasingly using them to target victims. In one instance, a teenager riding an illegal e-bike struck and killed an 86-year-old grandmother, Gloria Stephenson, on a zebra crossing.

Safety advocates and lawmakers are calling for a ban on the sale of these powerful conversion kits. Labour MP Julie Minns, who has introduced a bill to ban such sales, stated that it is unacceptable for major online platforms to facilitate the purchase of components that create machines capable of car-like speeds. She emphasized that seizing bikes on the street addresses only the symptom, not the cause, and urged the government to take decisive action.

An Amazon spokesperson stated that the company is in the process of removing the highlighted products and requires all sellers to comply with applicable laws and regulations. The company also mandates that sellers of e-mobility products provide documented testing certification from an accredited lab.

A government spokesperson confirmed that modified e-bikes exceeding legal limits are considered motorbikes and are illegal on public roads without proper registration, taxation, and insurance. The government has provided police with enhanced powers to seize such vehicles and is working to curb the sale of unsafe products online.