To date, UL has yet to certify any hoverboards for safety. Further, UL certification of components such as a battery pack or power supply in hoverboards is different from certification of the hoverboards themselves. For technology such as hoverboards that use lithium-ion batteries, it is important to understand the interaction among components and UL has yet to evaluate any power supplies or battery packs in a hoverboard system.
To clarify any confusion, CPSC Chairman Elliot F. Kaye recently issued a statement reminding consumers that UL marks on hoverboards or their packaging are not good indicators of the product’s safety, and they could actually be a sign of a counterfeit product.
A CPSC investigation is now in full swing. Chairman Kaye said, “CPSC staff is focusing on the components of the lithium-ion battery packs as well as their interaction with the circuit boards inside the units. CPSC staff has consulted with test laboratories, lithium-ion battery representatives and other outside experts to verify safe design practices for use of lithium-ion batteries in hoverboards.”
For now, some retailers have stopped selling hoverboards, and Amazon has even gone as far as allowing customers to return hoverboards for a full refund. ASTM International and UL are planning to development of standards so that hoverboards will have safety regulation in the future.
