The US Consumer Protection Commission issued a stark warning about Rad-power bikese-bike batteries on Monday, linking them to dozens of fires and saying they “pose a risk of serious injury and death.”
Batteries can “unexpectedly ignite and explode,” especially when water or debris gets into the cells or suspension, according to the agency. CPSC says there were 31 fires, including 12 reports of property damage totaling $734,500, some of which occurred while the battery was not charging and the bike was in storage or not in use. No injuries were reported as a result of the fires.
Rad Power Bikes “refused to agree to an acceptable recall.” The CPSC said in a statement.. “Given its financial situation, Rad Power Bikes advised the CPSC that it is unable to offer battery replacements or refunds to all consumers.”
The Seattle-based company, which is one of North America's leading e-bike sellers, has recently fallen on hard times due to the post-Covid cycling boom. Rad Power Bikes is currently facing “serious financial problems” which could lead to its imminent closure without an injection of cash. GeekWire reported earlier this month.
Poorly manufactured e-bike batteries have been blamed for numerous deadly fires in the US and UK in recent years. In New York City alone, where tens of thousands of delivery workers ride e-bikes every day, dozens of people have died in fires linked to faulty lithium-ion batteries.
But while Rad Power Bikes was not involved in any fires that resulted in injury or death, the company was aware that the perception of faulty batteries could certainly harm its business. Last year, Rad Power Bikes introduced new batteries with heat-resistant technology designed to prevent fires. The company injects epoxy resin into the battery cells, which prevents a chemical reaction in the battery that could cause it to heat up to the point of explosion, also known as thermal runaway.
Rad Power Bikes has taken other safety measures, including switching to 21700 cells (21 mm in diameter and 70 mm in length) from 18,650 cells for their batteries and corresponds UL Safety Certification for both bicycles and batteries.
In a request for comment, Rad Power Bikes director of brand marketing and communications Kelsey Wolf said the company “strongly disagrees” with the CPSC's assessment of its batteries as defective or unsafe. Independent testing has confirmed that Rad batteries meet industry safety standards, she said, noting that the CSPC does not dispute those findings.
“The battery incident rate in the CPSC notice is a fraction of one percent,” Wolfe said in a statement. “While this number is small, we know that even one incident is one too many and we are saddened by any reports involving our products.”
She said Rad Power Bikes intends to work with the CPSC to resolve the issues. The company offered “numerous good faith solutions,” including offering its customers the opportunity to upgrade to new heat-resistant batteries at a discount, but the CPSC rejected that solution.
“The significant cost of an all-or-nothing requirement will force Rad to close its doors immediately, leaving no way to support our riders or our employees,” Wolf said.
