To find self-balancing scooters (hoverboards) that have completed certification to UL 2272 , visit www.ul.com/database and search for UL Category Code “FKIS”. Visit www.ul.com/hoverboards for consumer safety tips, information about UL’s work to combat counterfeit UL marks, and facts about UL’s involvement with hoverboards. Visit www.ul.com/batteries for more information about the battery & energy storage technology services UL offers for a wide range of motive & stationary applications.
In 2015 and early 2016 a global phenomenon took place that was a result of various product safety issues with many of the self-balancing scooters, also known as hoverboards. As these products came to market, safety was not in step with innovation and ultimately many fires happened throughout the world when using the highly sought after products which typically employ a large lithium battery.
Applying UL knowledge and research into the battery and electric product field, in January 2016 UL issued the UL 2272 Standard that focuses on the electric system of self-balancing scooters. The requirements were put together to address fire and electric shock hazards. UL 2272 provides framework to evaluate, test, and certify self-balancing scooters. It covers the electric drive train including the rechargeable battery and charger system combination for use in self-balancing scooters. Completed certifications can now be found on www.ul.com/database and searching the UL Category Code “FKIS”. Going forward, UL will expand our expertise into more categories of lithium battery operated products in order to help keep people, homes, and workplace environments safer.
It is important to note that a lithium-ion battery operated product can go into thermal runaway – independent of what motivated it to do so (poor battery management system, poor quality cells, etc.). This demonstration shown in this video used a technique of external heating to induce thermal runaway of the lithium battery within the hoverboard and the result is recorded. This video is intended to increase the knowledge of consumers, retailers, fire service, and others on what can happen to a hoverboard if undergoes thermal runaway. This is a demonstration only.
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