Rad Power Bikes’ Batteries Receive Major Fire Risk Warning

The batteries that power Rad Power Bikes' e-bikes "pose a risk of serious injury and death," and owners are urged to stop using them, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said.

The warning, issued Monday by the CPSC, stems from the risk of battery ignition or explosion. The commission has linked the batteries to 31 fire reports so far. Twelve of those incidents caused property damage, and some occurred even when the batteries were not charging.

"The hazardous batteries can unexpectedly 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.

This warning comes at a challenging time for Rad Power, which recently informed employees that it may permanently shut down in January if new funding is not found.

The CPSC also stated that Rad Power "refused to agree to an acceptable recall" and claimed the company was "unable to offer replacement batteries or refunds to all consumers" due to financial constraints.

Rad Power, however, stands by its products. "We firmly stand behind our batteries and our reputation as leaders in the e-bike industry, and strongly disagree with the CPSC's characterization of certain Rad batteries as defective or unsafe," the company told TechCrunch. Rad Power said it offered multiple solutions, including upgrades to its latest batteries, which are not affected by the warning, but the CPSC rejected these proposals.

The company emphasized that its batteries meet "the highest industry standards" and noted that the CPSC's referenced incident rate is a fraction of 1%. "While that number is low, we know even one incident is one too many, and we are heartbroken by any report involving our products," Rad Power said.

Owners can check whether the CPSC warning on the CPSC website applies to their batteries. The commission advises against disposing of the lithium-ion batteries in the trash or taking them to traditional recyclers. Instead, they should be taken to "municipal household hazardous waste (HHW) collection centers."