Due to the lithium-ion batteries’ propensity to catch fire and burn users, e-bikes offered by shops including Amazon, Sears, and Walmart are being recalled.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a recall for around 22,000 e-bikes that should not be used until they are supplied with a free new battery and battery mount.
Ancheer, a Chinese distributor of e-bikes, reported receiving six complaints of fires, explosions, or sparks, including four that described burn injuries.
The black e-bikes included in the recall have the model number AM001907, which can be found on the package and in the user guide but not on the actual bike. The recalled model, which has 26-inch wheels and “Ancheer” written on its downtube, may be identified by a cylindrical battery that is fashioned like a water bottle.
Between January 2016 and June 2022, the recalled e-bikes were sold online for between $280 and $930 at www.aliexpress.com, www.ancheer.shop, www.amazon.com, www.ebaby.com, www.newegg.com, www.overstock.com, www.rakuten.com, www.sears.com, www.walmart.com, and www.wish.com.
On weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time, Ancheer may be contacted toll-free at (888) 661-1330, through email at service@ancheer.shop, or online at www.ancheer.shop/pages/recalls.
Two days after a CPSC study detailing an increase in emergency department visits and fatalities due to e-scooters, e-bikes, and hoverboards was published, the recall was announced. More than 77,000 injuries caused by the three micromobility items were handled in emergency rooms throughout the country in 2021, up 127% from 34,000 injuries in 2017, according to the CPSC.
According to the government, 129 fatalities involving the items have been reported from 2017 through 2021, with the number of fatalities increasing from five in 2017 to 48 last year.
Fire departments around the country have been paying close attention to incidents involving lithium-ion batteries used in e-scooters, e-bikes, and hoverboards, according to a CPSC press release.