Rad Power Bikes Battery Fire Risk: Warning & Recall

Rad Power Bikes Battery Safety Warning

Rad Power Bikes’ e-bike batteries are reported to present a substantial risk of serious injury and even death, prompting a safety alert from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Fire and Explosion Hazards

The CPSC issued the warning on Monday, citing the potential for these batteries to unexpectedly ignite or explode. To date, 31 incidents involving fires have been linked to these batteries.

Twelve of these fire incidents resulted in property damage. Notably, some fires occurred even when the batteries were not actively undergoing a charging cycle, as detailed by the commission.

According to the CPSC, “The hazardous batteries can unexpectedly ignite and explode, posing a fire hazard to consumers.” This risk is heightened when the battery or its harness is exposed to water or debris.

Financial Difficulties for Rad Power

This safety concern arises at a critical juncture for Rad Power Bikes. The company recently informed its employees that it faces potential closure in January if it fails to secure additional funding.

Disagreement with the CPSC

The CPSC stated that Rad Power “refused to agree to an acceptable recall.” The company indicated its inability to provide replacements or refunds to all customers given its current financial constraints.

Rad Power has expressed disagreement with the CPSC’s assessment, asserting its confidence in the quality and safety of its batteries and its standing within the e-bike industry.

The company claims to have proposed several solutions to address the agency’s concerns, including offering upgrades to its newer battery models, which are not affected by the warning. However, “CPSC rejected this opportunity.”

Rad Power maintains that the cost of a full recall would immediately force the company to cease operations, eliminating any ability to support its customers or employees. (This disagreement was initially reported by The Verge.)

Compliance and Incident Rate

Rad Power asserts that its batteries meet “the highest industry standards.” The company states that the incident rate associated with the batteries in question is a very small fraction of one percent.

“While that number is low, we know even one incident is one too many,” the company communicated to TechCrunch via email, expressing concern for any reports involving its products.

Proper Battery Disposal

Owners can determine if their batteries are included in the warning by visiting the CPSC warning page. The commission advises against disposing of the lithium-ion batteries in standard waste streams or taking them to conventional recycling centers.

Instead, customers are instructed to take the batteries to designated municipal household hazardous waste (HHW) collection centers.