Dive Brief:
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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Wednesday issued a recall of 500,000 self-balancing scooters, or hoverboards, made by 10 Chinese companies and sold at most major retailers in the U.S.
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Earlier this year, the agency deemed hoverboards unsafe and said manufacturers should get Underwriters Laboratories certification before selling them, but stopped short of a recall. The self-balancing scooters were a huge hit at the holidays.
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There have been at least 99 reports of the battery packs in hoverboards overheating, sparking, smoking, catching fire and/or exploding. The CPSC has investigated more than 60 hoverboard fires in more than 20 states that resulted in more than $2 million in property damage, the agency said Wednesday.
Dive Insight:
Hoverboards have had a swift fall from grace, going from one of the most popular purchases—if not the top gift—at the holidays last year to a major recall due to the significant dangers they pose.
“Let me be clear about this—all of the hoverboard models included in this recall were made with fundamental design flaws that put people at real risk,” CPSC chairman Elliot Kaye said in a statement. “They were made and sold without a safety standard in place. Two hazard patterns quickly developed. One involving falls, which could have been anticipated, and one involving fires, which definitely was not.”
All versions appear to be unsafe, and experts believe that the hazard comes from the way the vehicle’s lithium ion batteries are lodged near its motor. Fires have occurred during a charge and while the hoverboard is being used. Consumers should immediately stop using hoverboards and contact the recalling company to return their hoverboard for a full refund, a free repair or a free replacement, depending on the model, according to the CPSC.
The scooters were sold at mass merchandisers nationwide and through online retailers from June 2015 through May 2016 for between $350 and $900. A list of manufacturers and retailers affected by the recall is listed here.
There’s some dispute about who or what company invented and manufactured the first product, but the scooters were available from several companies ranging in price over the holidays and beyond. Amazon, Overstock, and other retailers ceased hoverboard sales after reports of major fire risk mounted during the holiday season.
A dearth of regulation around hoverboards and their various designs had made it difficult for officials to discern which ones are hazardous or to make any recommendations about their use to ensure safety. The hoverboards are all made in China, so officials have said they hope to work with the Chinese government to solve the problems. But the safety commission clearly has realized that a recall is in order.
“Hoverboards that are not certified by Underwriters Laboratories are extremely dangerous and are a fire hazard waiting to happen,” according to Kaye’s statement. “My message to the public was clear in February and continues to be clear today: Do not use a hoverboard that does not meet UL’s electrical safety requirements for these products.”