The role of governments in improving battery safety in electric vehicles

The issue of safety at the legislative level of various countries' governments is still inadequately addressed, but the first glimmers of hope are appearing.

Several proposals for laws have already been introduced in the parliaments of various countries to regulate the import of uncertified and low-quality batteries, and to promote the purchase of high-quality electric bicycles. An interesting example is a bipartisan proposed law called the "Act on Import Security and Fairness," which aims to restrict the import of unregulated electric bicycles and batteries.

Currently, some countries, such as China, are allowed to sell products directly to consumers without customs inspection if their value does not exceed a certain amount. The value of an e-bike below that amount is precisely where there is a greater risk of having an uncertified battery or a poor quality battery management system. The new legislation aims to remove this price ceiling, which allows circumvention of inspections.

Another proposed bill before the Senate requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission to establish definitive safety standards for electric bicycles and electric scooters to prevent the risk of fires.

What's more, an "E-BIKE Act" has also been proposed, a bill aimed at encouraging the purchase of electric bicycles by providing tax breaks to citizens. If passed, this could significantly affect the availability of high-quality electric bicycles for lower-income people.The key idea is that only electric bicycles with batteries that are UL-certified, or equivalent, are eligible for tax credits.

It should also be noted that some states, such as New York, have received a grant from the federal government to fund the installation of charging and storage stations for micromobility. The city has also banned the sale of batteries without UL certification, although experts note that this may be difficult to enforce. Some believe that support for safe charging practices and access to quality batteries should not rest solely with governments. The issue of safety at the legislative level of various countries' governments is still inadequately addressed, but the first glimmers of hope are appearing.

A number of proposed laws have already been introduced in the parliaments of many countries to regulate the import of uncertified and low-quality batteries and to promote the purchase of high-quality electric bicycles. An interesting example is a bipartisan legislative initiative called the "Import Safety and Equity Act," aimed at restricting the import of unregulated electric bicycles and batteries.

Currently, some countries, such as China, are allowed to sell products directly to consumers without customs inspection if their value does not exceed a certain amount. It is electric bicycles below this amount that are the ones where there is a greater risk of having an uncertified battery or a low-quality battery management system. The new legislation aims to eliminate this price ceiling, allowing circumvention of inspections.

Another proposed bill before the Senate requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission to establish definitive safety standards for electric bicycles and electric scooters to minimize the risk of fires. Also noteworthy is a bill called the "E-BIKE Act," which aims to promote the purchase of electric bicycles by giving citizens tax breaks. If passed, this could significantly improve the availability of high-quality electric bicycles for lower-income people. An important element of these regulations is that only electric bicycles with UL-certified or equivalent batteries are eligible for tax credits.

It should also be noted that some governments, such as the one in New York, have received funding from the federal government to expand charging and storage infrastructure for micromobility. Municipal governments have also banned the sale of batteries without UL certification, although experts note that this may be difficult to enforce.

Some argue that support for safe charging practices and access to quality batteries should not rest solely with governments, but also with micromobility companies such as Uber Eats, Grubhub and DoorDash. In metropolitan areas such as New York, providers on electric bikes are the backbone of these companies.

In conclusion, it is important to highlight the role that governments play in raising the global safety standard for electric bikes and other forms of micromobility. These important safety issues, such as regulating the import of uncertified batteries and promoting high-quality equipment, require thoughtful and effective legislative action at the level of various governments.

There is no doubt that without the active support and involvement of governments, it will be difficult to make significant progress in this area. Safety in the area of micromobility is a global issue that requires coordinated action at many levels of governance - from local governments to central governments. It is precisely such a commonality of action at different levels of government that can bring real change and significantly raise safety standards.

However, given the current state of affairs, it seems that full commonality of action in this area at the international level is not yet on the horizon. Nonetheless, the current initiatives and proposed laws that are already making their way through the parliaments of various countries give reason for cautious optimism. There is still much to be done, but the first steps toward improving the safety of users of electric bicycles and other micromobility devices have already been taken.