Chinese-made technology is under the US microscope once again, as nearly 200 E-bikes manufactured in China have reportedly exploded while being ridden, according to a report by America's consumer product watchdog agency.
Owners of the FENGQS F7 Pro E-bike are being warned to immediately stop using the popular e-bikes because they could lead to “serious injury and death.”
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued the e-bike safety warning on June 18th, claiming that there have been at least nine separate reports of fires, including two reports of property damage totaling $12,000.
The issue relates to a defective lithium battery that can “overheat and ignite,” the CPSC said, also urging anyone who owns the bike to immediately remove the battery from the bike.
The Chinese-made e-bike “poses a risk of fire and burn hazards,” which could cause someone serious injury and even death, the Commission said.
About 180 of the e-bikes, which are manufactured by the Shenzhen Fengqisi Car Industry Co (FENGQS), have already been sold on Amazon.
Apparently, FENGQS has refused to agree to an acceptable recall.
The CPSC says the e-bikes, sold in blue, have the brand name “FENGQS” printed on the downtube, while the model number F7 Pro is printed on the chainstay, near the rear wheel.
When Cybernews did its own search on the e-commerce site, several FENGQS E-bikes were still being advertised on both the US and UK Amazon sites, but they appeared to be unable to ship.
Last week, researchers from Drexel University announced the development of a new diagnostic tool that can quickly identify flaws in lithium-ion batteries that cause them to overheat.
Exploding batteries that power devices such as smartphones, laptops, and e-bikes, have become a serious safety concern in recent years.
Last year, New York City reported 277 fires caused by lithium-ion batteries, a slight increase from the year before, according to the lithium-ion battery safety experts at Loxxer.
Furthermore, the Belgium battery safety solutions firm says in London, roughly 160 fires were reported to have been caused by e-bikes and e-scooters, averaging one incident every two days.
To report a safety incident with CSPC involving this particular e-bike, consumers can do so here.
The CPSC also reminds consumers to dispose of the defective battery according to their local hazardous waste disposal regulations.
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