The Issue
Lithium-ion batteries power personal mobility devices, such as electric scooters, e-bikes, and hoverboards. They’re used in children’s toys, the electric-powered bikes people use to get to work, and in the mobility aids of the disabled and elderly. For many people, they depend on lithium-ion batteries to power devices necessary for daily living.
But are lithium-ion batteries safe to use in personal mobility devices?
Thermal runaway is a process that occurs when high density, lithium-ion batteries fail, causing explosions, fires, and injuries. In one example, according to a July 22, 2024, press statement from the City of New York, since 2019, lithium-ion batteries in micromobility devices “have started 733 fires, killing 29 New Yorkers and injuring 442 more.”
Some states and localities have introduced or enacted legislation to address the safety of lithium-ion batteries. In Illinois, Senate bill 2247, the Micromobility Fire Safety Act, was introduced in 2025, stating that low-speed electric bicycles and personal e-mobility devices may not be manufactured, distributed, sold, or rented unless tested by an accredited testing laboratory.
Within the federal government, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voted on April 30, 2025, to proceed with a notice of proposed rulemaking for a new safety standard for personal mobility devices using lithium-ion batteries. However, this proceeding has since been withdrawn. A bipartisan bill, HR 973, Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act, passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 365-42, with similar legislation, S. 389, pending in the U.S. Senate.
Throughout government, solutions are sought to address this potential hazard.
A Vivid Example
On June 20, 2023, an explosion at a motorized bike shop in New York City quickly engulfed the store and the residences above it in flames. Four people, asleep in their apartments, died. The cause of the fire was traced to lithium-ion batteries. More than 75% of states reported such fires to the CPSC in 2022-2023.
The popularity of personal mobility devices has flooded the U.S. market. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the number of e-bike sales in the country exceeded one million in 2022. Market revenue for e-bikes was estimated at $36.6 billion in 2023.
There’s a clarion call for ensuring that the lithium-ion batteries that power these products are safe.
Our Ask
To ensure lithium-ion batteries in personal mobility devices are tested and certified by a business that adheres to internationally recognized standards, the following language should be included in legislation:
“Certification shall be conducted by an ISO/IEC 17065 accredited product certification body, with supported testing from an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited testing laboratory that is accredited by a full member and signatory to the Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated.*”
Contact your elected officials and ask them to include this language in legislation regarding lithium-ion batteries to protect consumers.
For more information regarding accreditation, contact A2LA at info@A2LA.org, or reach out to A2LA Director of Government Relations Randy Querry at rquerry@A2LA.org. To begin the accreditation process for your organization, visit A2LA.org/estimate-request.
*Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated may also be referred to as International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation and International Accreditation Forum.
Sources
Global Market Insights. https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/e-bike-market. Accessed May 14, 2025.