For the most part the issue with many of the exploding hoverboards appears to be concentrated in the lithium-ion batteries that are used to charge the scooters. The rechargeable batteries can be jostled easily while in use, whereby rendering possible a short circuit, which can then lead to and/or cause a fire.
Due to the high cost factors associated with the lithium-ion batteries there has been an increase in theft, switching out and actual usage of counterfeit safety marks to falsely depict the brand,size and type of battery used in various hoverboards and/or employed by various manufacturers of these popular hoverboards/self-balancing scooters. Whether or not this is a concerted effort on the part of the manufacturer or the work of independent/rogue criminals replacing said batteries when the products are in shipping is still debatable. However, for many of the reputable manufactures this has been viewed as an ongoing concern and rightfully so.
From Dec. 1, 2015 through Feb. 17, 2016, the U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION (CPSC) has received reports, from consumers in 24 states reporting self-balancing scooter fires resulting in over $2 million in property damage, including the destruction of two homes and an automobile. As a result of the growing concern we have seen several highly profiled commercial entities deviate away from both profit potential and as well their own initially asserted positions and standards. Amazon choose to completely remove ALL hoverboards irrespective of the company, brand and/or manufacturer to include irrespective of whether or not said company had acquired the UL certification pertaining to the lithium-Ion batteries installed in their product. On December 15, 2015 Target elected to Pull Swagway “Hoverboards” Over safety concerns and more recently on February 22, 2016 Toys ‘R’ Us stopped selling Hoverboards.
As a result of the counterfeiting and criminal activities involving critical components of the hoverboards and the corresponding safety issues and concerns that said aforementioned activities present to the consumers a new position has now emerged. This position calls for UL to inspect and test a manufacturers/company’s hoverboards using UL 2272, which covers the electric drive train including the rechargeable battery and charger system combination.
With UL 2272, Jeff Smidt, Vice President and General Manager for UL’s Energy and Power Technologies has asserted with respect to addressing the ever growing safety concerns of the hoverboards that the UL’s expert science, research, and engineering teams have now developed the appropriate requirements and methodology to confidently evaluate and test the entire self-balancing scooter for electrical and fire-hazard safety as a system.
At this stage said inspection and certification is voluntary. Retailers and manufacturers interested in submitting hoverboards for product testing and corresponding UL certification can submit their requests to the company to begin the process. But one does not need to look far into this matter and the issues, concerns and explosive legal exposure same presents to know that what is voluntary today will in all likelihood be mandatory very soon.
For Vapor Group the question becomes whether or not the manufacturer of the hoverboards they’re currently acquiring for resale under their brand Whizboard is willing to voluntarily move to meet the inspection and certification standards of the UL or if Whizboard will have to search for a different manufacturer.
With the introduction of UL testing, inspection and corresponding certification the cost for said boards will most assuredly increase as will the ticket price of these boards to the consumer. Such inspection, testing and certification has a tendency to narrow the playing field and competitors. The cost of such provisional voluntary requirements are usually nominal at the point they're voluntary...but once such becomes mandatory (as is usually the case when such incidences and concerns abound) that cost increases substantially.
Vapor Group would do well to get out ahead of this situation and use such to separate themselves from other brands and secure their position in what is sure to continue to be a growth and profitable market as the kinks are worked out. The benefits of expedient and proactive decisiveness can reap benefits for this small company in setting them apart from other competitors and solidifying their assertions of product value and safety.
One can view the collective and growing decisions of such companies as Amazon, Toys-R-Us, Target…etc. as an opportunity if Vapor Group, Dror and Yaniv act accordingly.
Time will tell…GLTY
