Feds issue urgent warning over products that ‘unexpectedly ignite and explode’ — but company is fighting back
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is issuing an urgent safety warning for Rad Power Bikes owners after at least 31 fires and 12 instances of property damage totaling more than $734,000 were reported across the country.
The CPSC issued the emergency warning after identifying serious fire and explosion hazards tied to lithium-ion batteries with model numbers RP-1304 and HL-RP-S1304, used in multiple Rad Power Bikes models.
Some batteries reportedly ignited while not charging and even while the bikes were sitting unused.
Customers are advised to immediately stop using lithium-ion batteries as they "can unexpectedly ignite" — posing a risk of serious injury or death.
Bike owners should remove the batteries immediately and dispose of them through local hazardous-waste programs — not the trash — and stop riding any bike powered by the affected models.
Rad Power Bikes pushes back
Seattle-based Rad Power Bikes has refused to issue a recall and disputed the government's safety-statement instead.
In a Nov. 24 statement , the company stressed that its batteries have passed independent safety testing, including UL-2271 and UL-2849 certifications.
The company also notes that reported incidents represent "a fraction of one percent" of batteries sold but acknowledged that any fire is unacceptable.
Rad blamed improper storage, misuse, exposure to water, and third-party modifications for some of the incidents — issues the company says affect lithium-ion products across industries.
"All lithium-ion batteries — whether in ebikes, e-scooters, laptops, or power tools — can pose a fire risk if damaged, improperly charged, exposed to excess moisture, subjected to extreme temperatures or improper modifications to the electrical components, all of which Rad repeatedly advises against in user manuals and customer safety guides," the company wrote .
"Contrary to the CPSC's statement, mere exposure to water and debris does not create a hazard; rather, significant water exposure, as warned against in our manuals, can pose a hazard."
Rad also revealed that it proposed a "good-faith" plan to CPSC, which included offering discounted upgrades to its newer Safe Shield battery line.
The agency rejected that plan and instead demanded a full recall — a step Rad says would be financially devastating.
"The significant cost of the all-or-nothing demand would force Rad to shut its doors immediately, leaving no way to support our riders or our employees," its statement reads.
What Rad Power Bikes owners should do now, according to the CPSC:
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Stop using the affected batteries immediately.
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Remove and safely isolate the battery, even if not currently charging.
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Dispose of it properly at a local hazardous-waste facility.
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Do not resell or give away the battery.
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Check the battery label for model numbers RP-1304 or HL-RP-S1304.
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