The US federal government’s consumer watchdog has issued a recall for “about 24,000” batteries sold with cheap VIVI e-bikes at retailers like Walmart, Amazon, and AliExpress for prices between $365 and $950. At least 14 incidents of overheating batteries have been reported, with three reported fires. No injuries have been reported, but owners are urged to stop using the e-bikes immediately because the lithium-ion batteries pose a “risk of serious injury or death.”
The VIVI e-bikes and batteries in question – models listed here – were likely not certified to UL safety standards. That’s not stated in the US Consumer Product Safety Commission …