eScooters catching fire. More regulation needed? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2023, 05:22:58 am
content: I think we we need more government regulation, because consumers don't know what they are buying. The problem is most governments are reactive, not proactive, and are weak to enforce import laws especially here in Australia. Even with regulation, companies like Amazon still get away with importing non-compliant goods from China, and eBay is the wild west. Is there a better way to guarantee dangerous product like some eScooters don't find their way into the hands of consumers? I don't have an answer, other than customs inspections and fines for importers who violate strict safety regulations in the future.Mandatory UL or equivalent compliance for eScooters would be a start.This story came out today...httrs://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-18/e-scooter-lithium-battery-fire-risk-fears-/101863902

author: MrMobodies
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2023, 06:29:00 am
content: Quote from: VK3DRB on January 18, 2023, 05:22:58 amhttrs://URL typo.QuoteI am surprised that there are no deaths over it yet.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2023, 09:56:13 am
content: Or you could just determine lithium battery technology is not mature yet and give it a wide berth.Caveat Emptor.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2023, 10:12:29 am
content: Seeing the cavalier attitude of the riders, and that they seem to drive pretty much as if they are invunerable, and other road users must get out of the way, I wonder why they are not just outright banned in the whole of Australia, as evidenced by the large number of videos showing them driving like the left the brain at home. I would say there is a much higher chance of them being mowed down by a vehicle because they drove under it, that the battery catching fire. Local by me they would not last long on the roads, the minibus taxi drivers would probably aim at them to make them passengers, or steal the ebike to scrap for the copper content in the batteries and wire.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2023, 10:16:14 am
content: There's already a decent amount of regulation on Li-Ion batteries, that you need to comply with if you import these things.Thing is, many of these importers are breaking the law but are set up in such a way that the directors escape consequence. Need more effort to be expended there.

author: DavidAlfa
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2023, 01:36:01 pm
content: Here they've been recently banned from any public transportation (Bus, train, subway...) after several incidents.Anyways I'm pretty sure those were causing by the owners themselves, there's too much DIY without any safety, chinese batteries, tweaking (Overpowering) the motors...

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2023, 03:24:47 pm
content: Quote from: tautech on January 18, 2023, 09:56:13 amThat is not the problem. The problem is in crappy components and poor electronics design. Or put differently: low quality products.

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2023, 04:55:19 pm
content: Quote from: VK3DRB on January 18, 2023, 05:22:58 amEasy answer, makes you (depends though) ... feel good..... those darn commie bad Chinamen making crappy stuff "all the times" ...... but this won't solve the problem. And only the smart ones knew this.True answer that will definitely solve the problem, only smart ones aware of this, but most keep silent, which is ...More regulations are useless and utterly stupid, let alone fines, as these is nothing for those rich & powerful importers/resellers/brokers (eg: Wall-mart, Costco or Amazon), as these people should be prosecuted with jail time and huge fine, say half of the annual sales value, that how you solve the problem, as the crappy cheap China's stuffs was ordered at bottom dollars price, heck, even one eScooter can be manucfatured with the cost of half a dollar, they will order those evil commie Chinese to make it, import it and sell as they know their customers majority are cheapskates.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2023, 12:00:25 am
content: Wonder if its worse in AUS due to higher ambient temperatures. Or this is just the same failure rate as everywhere else.Quote from: tom66 on January 18, 2023, 10:16:14 amYes, tons of regulations exist that aren't heavily enforced. Mandatory warranties, etc. would be nice to have, but, as you say they simply setup a shell company to import the product and can shut it down if needed.More inspection and testing of incoming goods would be amazing, but there just aren't enough resources, and who will pay for it?From the article:"He said that with most battery cells imported from overseas, he would ultimately like to see government-led testing that could inform consumers. "So that consumers could look up a type of cell, its manufacturer, and check whether or not these cells can be trustworthy.""hmm even if you have the best cells, can't a bad BMS still cause them to explode? you'd want to certify the whole pack.

author: mc172
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2023, 12:11:17 am
content: Quote from: tautech on January 18, 2023, 09:56:13 amBy the same reasoning then, we can determine that hydrocarbon technology is not mature yet because some car crashes result in fuel fires.