eBay has announced that only “eligible business sellers” will be able to list e-bikes and e-bike batteries for sale in the UK from October 31. A spokesperson said consumer safety is a “top priority”, but the marketplace has not said what the necessary criteria for sellers will be.
“This policy change is in addition to the CE audits of listings offering e-bike batteries that we started last year, where we check that the products sellers are offering have valid CE documentation,” they added.
Charity Electrical Safety First (ESF) said it was “encouraged” to see eBay take, “proactive steps in an attempt to reduce the risk of substandard batteries entering people’s homes, as they pose a serious risk of fire if they fail”.
But while it welcomed the move, the charity said it continues to call for marketplaces to be legally obligated to take “reasonable steps” to ensure products sold via their sites are safe.
> A beginner's guide to e-bike batteries
It said it hopes the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, which was announced as the Product Safety and Metrology Bill in the King's Speech and aims to tackle “unscrupulous overseas suppliers” who sell unsafe goods in the UK through online marketplaces, will mandate this.
"This legislation must also be used to prevent battery fires by introducing mandatory third-party certification for e-bikes, e-scooters and their batteries to stop poor quality products entering the market. It should also introduce more robust standards for conversion kits and regulations for charging,” the charity said.
Potentially dangerous chargers have previously been found on sale on eBay, and in January the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) issued withdrawal notices to Amazon, AliBaba, eBay and Made in China, requiring them to stop selling a “dangerous” UPP e-bike battery.
The battery, manufactured by a company called Unit Pack Power (UPP), had been linked to a number of fires across England. A man whose flat in Nottingham was destroyed in a fire caused by the battery last year described it as like, “missiles coming down my corridor”.
ESF said dangerous e-bike and e-scooter batteries need to be prevented from entering homes in the first place, which is why it's calling for third party approval, saying that “sloppy manufacturers with little interest in safety are slipping through the net”.
> E-bike safety: What to avoid when buying an e-bike, battery or charger
The Association of Cycle Traders (ACT) has also welcomed the move by eBay, but said more comprehensive measures are required to address the growing concerns around e-bike safety.
“While we support eBay's decision to limit e-bike and battery sales to eligible business sellers from October 31, we firmly believe that more needs to be done to combat the sale of illegal and potentially dangerous products online,” said Jonathan Harrison, director of the ACT. “This is just the beginning of necessary industry-wide changes.”
The ACT is among members of the Electric Bike Alliance, which recently launched an E-Bike Positive campaign to boost knowledge of e-bike battery safety. Well over 100 local bike shops have already pledged to advertise, sell and repair only UK legal and safety-checked e-cycles.
