The United States will ban the sale of electric bicycles and batteries that do not meet the standards!

The United States will ban the sale of electric bicycles and batteries that do not meet the standards!

With the increasing number of electric bicycle users in the United States, the safety issue of lithium batteries has attracted the attention of relevant fire departments. The United States is addressing this security concern with new legislation.

According to statistics from the New York Fire Department, there were 191 fires caused by lithium batteries in New York last year, causing 140 injuries and 6 deaths. Fires involving lithium batteries are currently occurring on a weekly basis in New York, according to local media reports. Firefighters recently inspected bicycle shops and other places in Manhattan and found hundreds of batteries that were improperly stored and charged, in violation of fire safety regulations.

With the popularity of electric bicycles, lithium battery fires have gradually become one of the major safety hazards in Europe and the United States. Many vehicles use traditional frames with external batteries. It also concerns users of low-end products, mainly couriers and commuters. Therefore, they are more sensitive to product prices and often buy products without safety certificates or used batteries.

The New York City Council is passing legislation to address the safety of lithium batteries, banning the sale and assembly of refurbished or used batteries and requiring batteries to have a safety certification label before they can be sold. The bill was signed into law by New York Mayor Eric Adams and will be enforced 180 days after enactment. After that, the government will be able to punish retailers who sell electric bicycles or batteries that do not meet the relevant UL standards. A fine of up to $1,000 per SKU is imposed.

Heather Mason, president of the American Bicycle Dealers Association, recommends that bike shops sell e-bikes that are not UL-certified before the new local law takes effect. Dealers will have about six months to adjust their inventory, which will create difficulties for retailers, but the regulations will be in the interest of e-bikes going forward. It will better ensure the safety of personnel and promote the healthy development of electric bicycles.

Toggle the new safety standard

The US industry organization People For Bikes expressed its support for this regulation, and all electric bicycles sold, rented or leased in the future need to comply with the UL 2849 certification standard, which covers the complete electrical system of electric bicycles, including batteries, chargers and motors. Similarly, power mobile devices need to meet the UL 2272 standard, and all lithium-ion batteries sold separately need to meet more stringent UL standards such as the UL 2271 standard. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which has adopted UL 2849 as the test standard sought by regulators and others, will also become the standard for drive systems powered by e-bikes used in the United States.

Matt Moore, an attorney for People For Bikes in the US market, also stated, "As our members transition to this new safety standard, PeopleForBikes will continue to support them by advocating a prudent approach to wider adoption of UL 2849 to help Minimize the impact of this disruptive change."

According to a database maintained by the NBDA, Bosch, Brose and Promovec systems are certified to the standard. The NBDA database only lists OKAI, Alta, Diamondback, iZip, Revi, and other brands of bikes certified to the standard.

Trek also issued a statement stating that its e-bikes with four different motor systems are also UL 2849 certified. Cannondale and PON's Gazelle already use Bosch systems that meet the standard.

Ouka electric bike factory will support UL 2849 certificate.