The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued on June 6, 2023 a Notice in the Federal Register on their plans for a public meeting on July 27, 2023 to address lithium ion battery safety issues. The Agency is also requesting written comments.
The CPSC has over the past 15 years addressed the safety of cellular phones, notebooks, hoverboards, and similar lithium ion battery-powered products. Prior efforts by CPSC in 2020 and 2022 had centered specifically around micromobility products such as e-scooters, e-bikes, and hoverboards. CPSC now plans to gather information from experts in lithium ion battery safety and fire prevention to better understand best practices for preventing battery fires in micromobility devices. Recognizing that lithium ion batteries are starting to be used in more and larger consumer products such as outdoor power equipment and portable generators, the CPSC wants to learn more about the safety standards and designs for batteries, battery management systems, and consumer products that can limit the risks of thermal runaway and fire.
PRBA will be hosting a membership meeting on June 27th to begin planning for the CPSC forum. For more information on this recent CPSC development, please contact George Kerchner at 202.719.4109 or [email protected], or Jennifer Giblin at 202.719.3281 or [email protected].
PRBA serves as a voice of advocacy between its members and lawmakers in the lithium ion battery safety space. Learn more about membership here.