The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a warning about e-bike batteries.
The agency is advising that owners of Rad Power Bikes e-bikes should stop using the bike’s battery due to a fire hazard.
The batteries can ignite and explode, "posing a fire hazard to consumers, especially when the battery or the harness has been exposed to water and debris," the CPSC said.
The batteries are models RP-1304 and HL-RP-S1304 and came with the following bikes:
- RadWagon 4
- RadCity HS 4
- RadRover High Step 5
- RadCity Step Thru 3
- RadRover Step Thru 1
- RadRunner 2
- RadRunner 1
- RadRunner Plus
- RadExpand 5
The bikes were sold online at RadPowerBikes.com, Best Buy and independent bike shops across the country for $1,500 and $2,000. The batteries were also sold separately for about $550.
No refund or replacement is available.
"The importer, Rad Power Bikes Inc., of Seattle, Washington has refused to agree to an acceptable recall. Given its financial situation, Rad Power Bikes has indicated to CPSC that it is unable to offer replacement batteries or refunds to all consumers," the CPSC said in a news release.
The company said in the same release, “Rad’s Safe Shield batteries and semi-integrated batteries are not subject to the agency’s statement. Rad had the batteries re-tested by third-party labs as part of this investigation; the batteries passed these tests again. Nonetheless, in an effort to partner with the CPSC, Rad proposed multiple solutions to the agency in good faith. Rad informed the agency that its demand to replace all batteries, regardless of condition, would immediately put Rad out of business, which would be of no benefit to our riders. Rad is disappointed that it could not reach a resolution that best serves our riders and the industry at large. Rad reminds its customers to inspect batteries before use or charging and immediately stop using batteries that show signs of damage, water ingress, or corrosion, and to contact Rad so we can support our riders.”
There have been 31 reports of fires, with 12 of them causing property damage totaling approximately $734,500.
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