CALIFORNIA — Amazon plans to stop selling certain high-speed electric bicycles in California and is working to remove listings for electric bicycles and e-motorcycles that do not comply with state regulations. The company said it would require third-party sellers of electric bicycles to follow state laws and company policy.

The move followed a consumer alert issued by state Attorney General Rob Bonta and several county district attorneys regarding safety laws for electric bicycles. The alert stated that two-wheeled vehicles capable of exceeding 28 mph with pedal assistance or 20 mph with throttle assistance are classified as mopeds or motorcycles rather than electric bicycles, and that retailers were marketing such vehicles as electric bicycles when they did not qualify. Mopeds and motorcycles are subject to age limits and special licensing requirements.

"Sometimes, what looks like an ebike or is marketed as an ebike is not a bike at all. We are seeing a surge of safety incidents on our sidewalks, parks and streets," Bonta said.

Some vehicles listed as electric bicycles on Amazon could exceed 40 mph. Amazon removed listings for non-compliant vehicles after being contacted.

In April, an 81-year-old man in Orange County, Ed Ashman, died after a teenager illegally riding an e-motorcycle struck him. Tommi Jo Mejer has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in Ashman's death. Officials said Mejer was warned that it was illegal for her son to operate the vehicle.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer, who filed the charges against Mejer, noted that a 13-year-old boy died last week after crashing an e-motorcycle he was riding. Spitzer praised Amazon's decision to remove non-compliant electric bicycles from its listings. "More than 100 deaths across the United States have resulted from ebike and E-motorcycle crashes and injuries have increased 430% in the last four years in southern California," Spitzer said.