WASHINGTON, DC—Consumer Reports (CR) today is urging the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to finalize a strong, mandatory safety rule for lithium-ion batteries and electrical systems used in micromobility products, like e-bikes and e-scooters. Gabe Knight, Senior Safety Policy Analyst, will testify today on behalf of Consumer Reports at the Commission’s virtual public hearing on the proposed rule, which begins at 10 a.m. ET.
“Federal safety standards have been years in the making, and Americans have waited long enough,” says Knight. “Since 2021, batteries used in micromobility devices have been linked to hundreds of fires and dozens of deaths, and the preventable death toll continues to rise. Earlier this month, a mother and her three-year-old daughter were killed in a fire reportedly caused by an e-bike battery. To prevent additional tragedies, we urge the Commission to finalize a strong rule without further delay.”
Consumer Reports commented on various elements of the proposed rule including:
- Incorporate the voluntary UL standards by reference, with proposed modifications. CR supports the Commission’s approach to adopt the UL standards for e-bike electrical systems (UL 2849-20), e-mobility device electrical systems (UL 2272-24) and batteries for use in light electric vehicles (UL 2271-34), as well as the proposed modifications to the standards, which include adding post-discharge and reverse polarity tests, in order to better protect consumers from fire and electric shock.
- Consider prohibiting the use of harmful flame retardant chemicals in a device’s plastic battery enclosure.
- Consider requiring warning labels on all conversion kits alerting consumers to the potential risks of frame stress and brake failure if a traditional bike is fitted with a battery and electric propulsion capability.
- Prioritize close coordination with NHTSA. CR maintains that any throttle-driven on-road vehicle capable of exceeding 20 mph under motor power alone should be classified as a motor vehicle subject to NHTSA’s jurisdiction.
Knight’s prepared remarks note that “A device stored in a multi-family housing unit could pose a hazard to the broader building community. A single thermal runaway event can rapidly fill hallways with difficult-to-extinguish fires and toxic smoke, block exit routes, damage neighboring units, and endanger residents.”
The CPSC published the proposed rule in June 2026, after more than a year and a half of regulatory delays. Read CR’s full comments here.