Rad Power Bikes’ batteries receive major fire risk warning

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a major fire risk warning for the batteries used in Rad Power Bikes’ electric bicycles, citing a risk of ignition or explosion that could cause serious injury or death. The CPSC has received 31 reports of battery fires, including 12 incidents causing property damage, some occurring even when the batteries were not charging. The commission highlighted that the batteries can unexpectedly ignite, especially if exposed to water or debris, posing a significant fire hazard to consumers. Rad Power Bikes is facing this warning amid financial difficulties, having informed employees that it may shut down in January without new funding. The CPSC stated that Rad Power refused to agree to a recall, with the company reportedly unable to offer replacements or refunds to all customers due to its financial constraints. Rad Power Bikes strongly disputes the CPSC’s characterization of their batteries as defective or unsafe, asserting that their batteries meet the highest industry standards and that the incident rate is very low—less than one percent