By Charles Pekow — Will the federal government set standards for lithium-ion e-bike batteries or won’t it? The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) tried to, conducting public hearings and a public comment period last year. The agency was all set to offer a notice of proposed rulemaking this spring, but shortly before it was to be issued, President Donald Trump fired the Democratic commissioners and the Republicans on the board nixed the plan (https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/RCA-Withdrawal-of-NPR-for-Safety-Standard-for-Lithium-Ion%20Battery-Micromobility-Products.pdf).
That may not mean the end of the story, however. By an overwhelming vote of 365-42, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed H.R. 973, the Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act (congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/973). The bill would require the commission to set standards anyway. Under the legislation, the American National Standards Institute, Standards Council of Canada, and UL Solutions Inc. would jointly develop mandatory standards for e-bike and scooter batteries.
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation has already approved a companion bill (S. 389).
