A bill is pending in Congress that would require the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to establish a final consumer product safety standard for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries used in micro mobility devices, such as electric scooters and bikes, to protect against the risk of fires caused by such batteries.

  • E-bike and e-scooter fires have been a growing concern over the past few years, especially in highly populated metropolitan areas like New York City.  Faulty lithium-ion batteries are responsible for 733 fires in New York City since 2019, killing 29 people and injuring 442 more.


The bill, HR 1797, entitled Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act, was introduced in March 2023 by Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) and passed the House this past May. It now awaits Senate approval.  

If enacted, CPSC would have one year after the bill’s passage to issue final consumer safety standards. It has garnered support from several organizations, including the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC).

Current Guidelines

Currently, the only mandatory federal regulations relating to rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are transportation standards, such as UN 38.3, which governs testing and certification requirements for shipping lithium-ion batteries by air, land or sea. Underwriters Laboratory (UL) has promulgated comprehensive micromobility battery standards, but they are currently voluntary, not mandatory.

Under Ritchie’s bill, the two UL battery standards that would likely be part of a mandatory federal standard are:

  • UL 2272, which relates to the electrical systems of e-mobility devices (scooters).
  • UL 2849, which relates to electrical systems of e-bikes.
  • Both standards go far beyond the transportation tests required under UN 38.3.


Rick Brenner, MAS+, president of business services member Product Safety Advisors, founding member of PPAI’s Product Responsibility Group (PRAG) and a co-chair of PPAI’s 2024 Product Responsibility Summit, is encouraged by Representative Ritchie’s bill.

However, Brenner feels that it doesn’t go far enough because it wouldn’t cover the rechargeable lithium-ion cells that power hundreds of products in the promo industry, such as Bluetooth speakers, flashlights and portable power packs.  

“I have argued for many years that rechargeable lithium-ion cells are the single most dangerous products in the promotional products industry,” says Brenner, a long-time advocate of mandatory federal safety standards for all rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

I have argued for many years that rechargeable lithium-ion cells are the single most dangerous products in the promotional products industry.”

Rick Brenner, MAS+

President, Product Safety Advisors

“At the component level, there is a wide variation in quality and price of lithium-ion cells, but the differences are technical and beyond the expertise of most companies in our industry. Even more serious is that very few companies are willing to invest in battery testing – which can run between $5,000-$15,000 for one cell – so many importers rely on whatever tests their factories provide.” 

Brenner hopes that Congress and CPSC will eventually mandate that all lithium-ion cells meet mandatory standards. In the meantime, he cites the UL-2056 Safety Standard for Portable Power Banks as an excellent way that suppliers and distributors can minimize the risk when selecting power banks.  

Brenner’s concerned are backed up by multiple several recalls over the past year due to the batteries’ fire hazards.