Unanimously passed legislation will require third-party product safety certification of battery-powered micromobility devices to UL Standards
NORTHBROOK, IL – The UL enterprise – UL 研究机构, UL 标准与参与 和 UL 解决方案 – commends the New York City Council on the unanimous passage of 663-A that requires certification by an accredited testing laboratory to:
- UL 2849, the Standard for Electrical Systems for e-Bikes, for the electrical system of any powered bicycle sold, distributed, leased, or rented in New York City.
- UL 2272, the Standard for Electrical Systems for Personal E-Mobility Devices, for all powered mobility devices, including e-scooters, sold, distributed, leased, or rented in New York City.
- UL 2271, the Standard for Batteries for Use In Light Electric Vehicle Applications, of any storage battery for a powered bicycle or mobility device sold, distributed, leased or rented in New York City.
This legislation addresses the safety risks that have emerged as the adoption of electrified forms of transportation has increased. As recently as March 5, 2023, the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) stated a lithium-ion battery that powered a scooter caused a five-alarm fire in the Bronx, injuring at least seven. And, in 2022 alone, FDNY responded to more than 200 micromobility-related fires resulting in six fatalities. These incidents are not restricted to New York – over 2021 and 2022, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) received reports from 39 states of at least 208 fires or overheating events that caused a reported 19 fatalities.
Third-party product safety certification, earned once a device meets specific requirements of consensus-based safety standards, can significantly reduce related fire, explosion, property damage and other risks associated with micromobility devices.
The UL enterprise is proud to help lead the safe adoption of e-bikes, e-scooters and other personal e-mobility devices globally. The passage of this legislation highlights how the application of safety science research, development of consensus-based safety standards and independent, third-party certification to those standards remain among the best tools available to help mitigate potential hazards across new and legacy technologies.
All three UL enterprise organizations – together with external safety advocates including FDNY, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the CPSC – have played a significant role in driving safety science progress in micromobility.
“The important work we do to characterize, understand and mitigate the risks of current and emerging technologies helps to make apparent the need to improve the safety of e-bikes and other micromobility products,” said Dr. Chris Cramer, senior vice president and chief research officer, UL Research Institutes. “We remain committed to continuing our research to help protect our first responders and all who use these products.”
“For the past 10 years, UL Standards & Engagement has placed a sharp focus on developing consensus-based safety standards that mitigate risks from micromobility equipment, and we are pleased New York City has recognized the impact our standards have on promoting safety,” said Dr. David Steel, executive director of UL Standards & Engagement. “These devastating fires have no geographic boundaries, and we encourage cities across the country to consider modeling New York’s approach.”
“We believe in the importance of safety science and the vital role independent and impartial product safety certification play in bringing new technologies, such as e-bikes, to the market safely and efficiently,” said Dr. Robert Slone, senior vice president and chief scientist, UL Solutions. “We thank Council Member Feliz for his leadership on this legislation and encourage Mayor Adams to sign this initiative into law. E-bikes and micromobility products provide multiple benefits to society. We stand ready to apply our comprehensive, rigorous testing methodologies to help realize those benefits.”
The UL enterprise is committed to confronting safety challenges head-on, turning questions and hypotheses into discoveries, and innovating to ensure that scientific knowledge is applied to support its shared mission of working for a safer world.
关于 UL 研究机构
UL 研究所是一家非营利性研究机构，致力于通过科学发现促进公共安全。自 1894 年以来，我们的研究一直在推动我们实现更安全、更可靠和可持续发展的未来。我们专注于从火灾缓解和空气质量到安全能源存储和数字隐私等全球风险，进行严格的独立研究，分析安全数据，并与专家合作，揭示人类安全面临的现有和新出现的风险，并采取相应的行动。了解更多信息，请访问 UL.org。
关于 UL 标准与参与
UL 标准与参与是一家非营利组织，通过标准制定、合作和宣传，将安全科学转化为行动。自 1903 年以来，我们已为从防火门到自动驾驶汽车等各种产品制定了近 1700 项标准和指导文件。ULSE 通过召集专家、为政策制定者和监管者提供信息，促进创新，增强信任，为实现更安全、更可靠、更可持续的未来而努力。更多信息，请访问 ulse.org。
关于 UL 解决方案
A global leader in applied safety science, UL Solutions transforms safety, security and sustainability challenges into opportunities for customers in more than 100 countries. UL Solutions delivers testing, inspection and certification services, together with software products and advisory offerings, that support our customers’ product innovation and business growth. The UL Certification Marks serve as a recognized symbol of trust in our customers’ products and reflect an unwavering commitment to advancing our safety mission. We help our customers innovate, launch new products and services, navigate global markets and complex supply chains and grow sustainably and responsibly into the future. Our science is your advantage.