36 Illegal E-Bikes Crushed into Scrap Metal In Big Gov’t Crackdown

The Minns Government have crushed the first of many illegal e-bikes into scrap metal today, as part of a major state-wide crackdown.

The NSW Government has confiscated 36 e-bikes with illegal modifications so far, including one from a 14-year-old, which was capable of speeds over 90km/h.

“We made a commitment to crack down on dangerous and illegal e-bike activity, and today shows how we’re delivering on that commitment,” said Minister for Roads Jenny Aitchison. “With the first batch of illegal e-bikes getting crushed following legislation introduced by the Minns Labor Government, the message could not be any clearer.”

“If you’re riding an illegal e-bike on NSW roads, you can expect to have it confiscated and destroyed,” said Aitchison.

Of the 36 illegal e-bikes seized in Sydney’s Northern Beaches so far, 23 are being crushed today into scrap metal at a wrecking yard in Blacktown. The remaining 13 are still being assessed by NSW Police, but Aitchison said that “if an illegal e-bike is located and confiscated, it won’t be going back onto our streets.”

Other illegal e-bikes confiscated include a food delivery bike, and well-known brands that were modified to disregard speed restrictions.

“Make sure your e-bike is compliant and you follow the road rules otherwise it could suffer the same fate as these bikes,” said Minister for Transport John Graham.

What makes an e-bike “illegal”?

The Minns Labor Government have advised that e-bikes can only have a maximum speed 6km/h when the passenger is not pedalling, and need to have power assistance that stops when the bike reaches 25km/h. They have also stated that an e-bikes’ maximum continuous power must not reach over 500 watts, which will drop to an accepted limit of 250 watts from 1 March 2029.

The crackdown comes after the Road Transport Amendment (Non-registrable Motor Vehicles) Bill 2026 was passed earlier this year. This bill is an amendment of the Road Transport Act 2013, and now gives NSW Police and Transport NSW the power to confiscate and dispose of any illegal e-bikes.

This e-bike-to-scrap-metal operation is just the last in a series of moves the NSW Government has made to regulate e-bikes. Earlier this year, the NSW Government enacted new laws to deal with shared e-bike clutter, and in 2025 the NSW Government banned converted e-bikes from most of NSW’s public transportation network after several e-bikes caught fire.

“We’ve all seen the videos of hordes of teenagers riding illegal e-bikes on the Harbour Bridge and on golf courses. We want that to stop, and the crusher is here to help,” said Graham.

“This is a graphic warning to anyone riding or buying an e-bike: if you don’t want it turned into shrapnel, make sure it’s legal.”