The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia offers our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Chase Sudano, who tragically lost his life while riding an e-moto in a crash with a UPS box truck on June 16th on a neighborhood street near the Brendan Byrne State Forest. Every life lost on our roads is a tragedy, and we must emphasize that the only acceptable number of traffic deaths is zero.
A GoFundMe Page has been set up for Chase’s family.
According to NJ State Police, the driver of the UPS Truck was turning right from Tranquility Court to North Fire Rd when Chase’s e-moto hit the rear of the turning truck. It’s easy to read this information and blame the victim; however, the goal of Vision Zero is not to prevent all human error but to eliminate the possibility that those errors result in fatality.
The Press and Public Officials Continue to Provide Incorrect Information to the Public
The Police noted that the vehicle involved in this crash was a Talaria e-moto. It is critical to note that these vehicles are high-performance electric motorcycles capable of top speeds exceeding 50 mph—far beyond the capabilities of a standard bicycle or a legal e-bike. Precise specifications for models like the Talaria Sting or Dragon Pro often list motors ranging from 6kW to 10kW, designed for off-road use only.
Reports on the Southampton E-moto Crash
We are concerned by the failure of many press outlets and local authorities to distinguish between e-motos and low-speed electric-assist bicycles. These high-speed vehicles have always been illegal for on-road use. Furthermore, there is nothing in the recently passed New Jersey law (P.L. 2025, c. 285) that changes the illegal status of electric off-road motorcycles for road use. Even the provisions aimed at restricting internet sales for one do not apply, since they lack pedals and therefore are not classified as “Electric Motorized Bicycles”.
New Jersey’s definition of “Electric Motorized Bicycles” does not match the description of many electric dirt bikes.
The Bicycle Coalition recommends that the media and law enforcement include these essential facts in their reporting:
- When reporting on these types of crashes, reporters should squarely ask investigators if the vehicle involved was an e-moto. Request an image or the specific model name to confirm the vehicle type.
- Remind readers that e-motos have never been legal for road use. New laws specifically target low-speed electric bikes that have a power output of 750 Watts or less.
- Note that the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) has yet to register a single low-speed e-bike nor issue an e-bike license under the new frameworks.
- Use the recommended changes proposed by the American Bicycle Education Association to the AP Styles E-bike Terminology
- Contact the seller’s or manufacturers for comment. Did they sell the vehicle as a class-2 e-bike? Was it bought online from Amazon or Ali Express?
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia is currently working with a statewide coalition of organizations and legislators to pursue necessary fixes to New Jersey’s e-bike laws. If you would like to join our campaign to change the law for e-bikes or are just looking for more information, we encourage you to visit the New Jersey Bike and Walk Coalition’s E-bike Resource Center.
If anyone you know has been involved in a crash or lost someone in a crash and is looking for community, please reach out to Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia by emailing julio@bicyclecoalition.org.
Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia (FSSGP) is comprised of victims of traffic violence and families whose loved ones have been killed or severely injured by aggressive, reckless, or careless driving, behaviors enabled by dangerous street design. FSSGP represents the full range of Greater Philadelphia’s rich diversity and collectively demands an end to traffic violence.