Shorouk Express
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A dangerous e-bike battery which has been linked to explosions and several fires is still on sale across the country.
Models of a UPP (Unit Pack Power) branded e-bike battery, which pose a serious risk of fire according to the government, were found for sale by private sellers on Facebook Marketplace.
A government withdrawal notice, published online in January 2024, was issued to Amazon, eBay and Alibaba, stating that the UPP battery posed a serious risk of fire.
Facebook was not directly issued with the original withdrawal notice, but the warning was published online and then re-issued by the government earlier last month to reach the wider business community.
Meta confirmed it had removed the listings, found by consumer safety charity Electrical Safety First, as a precaution after the charity raised its findings with the Office for Product Safety & Standards (OPSS).
However, The Independent found several listings of the U004 and U004-1 models of the triangular-shaped UPP e-bike battery on Facebook Marketplace.
The batteries present a serious risk of fire, as there is the potential for it to enter into thermal runaway, according to the government’s withdrawal notice.
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Thermal runaway occurs when a battery reaches up to 600C, releasing toxic gases and creating a fire that is almost impossible to extinguish, according to Electrical Safety First.
The government notice further warns of the “potentially fatal consequences that can occur” if the battery fails.
Facebook Marketplace listings of confirmed models of the battery were found to be advertised for sale in Greater Manchester, Greater London, Hull, Derbyshire, Southampton and Reading.
One battery for sale, seen by Electrical Safety First, was described by the seller as being “a little bit burnt” from being “left near a radiator”.
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Giuseppe Capanna, product safety engineer at Electrical Safety First, said: “We urgently need sellers to check if they are unknowingly passing on a dangerous e-bike battery. A single unit of this affected battery being sold online could put a household at serious risk.
“It’s essential all online marketplaces and businesses proactively engage with the published Government warning.
“The current rules governing online marketplaces are not fit for purpose, and new laws are urgently needed to protect shoppers from dangerous goods being sold on these platforms.”
The warning comes as the government’s Product Regulation & Metrology Bill progresses through the House of Commons, with Electrical Safety First calling for new laws to prevent substandard batteries from coming onto the market and being available online.
Mr Capanna added: “Whilst we’re encouraged that the Bill will address e-bike fires, it’s essential it tackles the issue head-on,
“Online marketplaces need to be legally responsible for ensuring they take steps to prevent dangerous goods being available on their sites. We also need tougher safety laws to ensure poor quality, e-bike batteries posing a fire risk don’t enter the UK market.”
A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: “We take the risk of e-scooter and e-bike fires very seriously, and it is an offence to sell a product that a distributor knows or should know is unsafe.
“Users should check that their own e-bike, or any e-bike they see for sale online, does not contain these UPP batteries, and anyone with information about the continued sale of these dangerous products should contact the Office for Product Safety and Standards.”
Meta has been approached for comment.
Unit Pack Power did not respond to a request for comment.
