Ancheer E-Bike Recall Issued Following Reports of Battery Explosions, Burns

More than 20,000 Ancheer E-bikes have been recalled, due to a risk the lithium-ion batteries may overheat and catch on fire, or explode, causing serious injuries and burns for riders.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSCP) announced the Ancheer e-bike recall on October 13, after the commission became aware of at least six reports of the e-bike battery exploding, resulting in at least four burn injuries.

Over the last several years, loosely regulated lithium-ion batteries manufactured without a high degree of quality control have been used to power a variety of popular consumer products, such as hoverboards, e-scooters, e-bikes, vaping pens, laptop battery packs, electric vehicles, and various other devices that require portable power. However, the CPSC has received an overwhelming amount of adverse events linked to these poorly manufactured lithium ion batteries, including short circuiting and thermal runaway events, which have resulted in hundreds of serious injuries, some of which requiring hospitalization and even resulting in death.

In the latest recall, officials warn consumers to stop using certain Ancheer e-bikes, which are powered with a potentially defective lithium-ion powered battery.

The recall includes approximately 22,000 Ancheer e-bikes with model number AM001907 and are equipped with 26-inch wheels and have the brand name “Ancheer” printed on the downtube. The recalled e-bikes are black and have a silver water bottle shaped cylindrical battery above the frame.

The recalled Ancheer e-bikes were manufactured by Shenzhen Sailvan Network Technology Ltd. d/b/a Ancheer, of China and were sold exclusively online through www.aliexpress.com, www.ancheer.shop, www.amazon.com, www.ebay.com, www.newegg.com, www.overstock.com, www.rakuten.com, www.sears.com, www.walmart.com and www.wish.com from January 2016 through June 2022 for between $280 and $930.

The CPSC is instructing customers to stop using the recalled e-bikes immediately and to stop charging the lithium-ion battery to prevent potential fire or injury risks.

Consumers are being offered a free replacement battery and battery mount which can be obtained by contacting Ancheer toll-free at 888-661-1330 or by emailing them at service@ancheer.shop.

Lithium-ion Battery Problems

Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries are commonly used in micromobility vehicles like hoverboards and e-bikes, vaping pens, toys and other consumer products. However, without proper protection or poor manufacturing or installation, they pose serious risks when being handled, stored, transported, recharged or otherwise used.

The CPSC has issued multiple warnings in recent years that poorly manufactured lithium-ion batteries pose a greater risk of experiencing thermal runaway events, which occur when the battery cell short circuits and begins to heat up uncontrollably. These incidents cause an unstable chemical reaction which can result in an explosion or fire.

In July 2016, the CPSC issued a nationwide hoverboard recall of more than 500,000 units after continuing to receive reports of imported lithium ion battery power hoverboards catching on fire. Following the recall, the U.S. International Trade Commission issued an order banning unlicensed hoverboards from being imported into the U.S. to prevent cheaply made lithium ion batteries from causing injuries and property damage to consumers.

In 2017, the CPSC issued a hoverboard warning to parents and owners to verify whether their children are in possession of one of the recalled devices after a three year old girl from Pennsylvania was killed in a house fire. According to the CPSC report, Ashanti Hughes, 3, died on March 11, 2017 in her Harrisburg, Pennsylvania home after a hoverboard caught of fire. Another girl in the home was reported to have suffered severe burns to over 95 percent of her body due to the incident.

E-Scooter Injuries

One of the most popular devices powered by lithium-ion batteries are e-scooters, which have become a common form of transportation through personal ownership or ridesharing services, such as Uber and Lyft in many cities across the U.S.

However, U.S. safety officials have issued several e-scooter warnings over the last few years, encouraging riders to use protective equipment, such as helmets and hand or wrist guards, and to avoid riskier maneuvers or traveling at high speeds on the devices.

Earlier this month the Transportation Research Board released a new report, titled “E-Scooter Safety: Issues and Solutions”, which calls for State Highway Safety Offices and policymakers to implement a series of regulatory, infrastructure and educational awareness efforts to keep millions of e-scooter riders safe.

In September 2020, the CPSC released a micromobility device hazards and injury report indicating more than 132,000 injuries were reported between 2017 and 2019 for all micromobility devices, including electric scooters, hoverboards, and e-bikes.

The warnings come in the wake of several e-scooter deaths reported in recent years, including a Washington, DC, resident who was dragged more than a dozen yards by an SUV that struck and pinned him and the Lime electric scooter he was riding in 2018. The death of a 24-year old Dallas resident occurred around the same time after he fell off of a scooter on his way home from work.