CPSC Sets Oct. 21 Hearing on Proposed E-Bike Battery Safety Rule

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is moving its proposed federal safety standard for e-bike batteries to the next step. In a notice published in the Federal Register on October 5, 2026 (91 FR 63208), the agency announced a virtual public hearing on October 21, 2026, starting at 10 a.m. Eastern. Interested parties can present oral comments there on its proposed rule for lithium-ion batteries in micromobility products.

The Commission voted 3-0 to publish the notice. Anyone who wants to speak must email a request and the written text of their presentation to the CPSC Office of the Secretary, and pre-register for the webinar, by 5 p.m. Eastern on October 15, 2026. Each presentation is limited to 5 minutes, not counting questions from Commissioners or staff.

This post summarizes the Federal Register notices. It is not legal advice, and the rule is still a proposal, not a final regulation.

Start with what the proposed rule would do. The CPSC first published the proposal — a notice of proposed rulemaking, or NPR — on June 24, 2026 (91 FR 38162), and written comments closed August 24, 2026. It covers e-bikes, e-scooters, self-balancing scooters (hoverboards), e-skateboards and e-unicycles, and it would require their lithium-ion batteries and electrical systems to meet existing UL voluntary standards, with added requirements: UL 2849 (electrical systems for eBikes) for e-bikes; UL 2272 for e-scooters and other personal e-mobility devices; and UL 2271 for replacement battery packs sold separately.

The rule would reach beyond batteries sold on new bikes. It would also cover user-replaceable battery packs, aftermarket chargers sold separately, and components in e-bike conversion kits.

On top of the UL standards, the CPSC proposes four additions. First, tamper-resistant battery enclosures for e-bikes and replacement packs, borrowed from UL 2272. Second, a post-discharge charge test, so the battery management system (BMS) won't allow charging if cell surface temperature is above a set limit. Third, a reverse-polarity test to help prevent damage when an incompatible charger is used. Fourth, stronger warning labels covering thermal runaway, electric shock, homemade batteries and unsafe charging.

As for why the CPSC says it's needed, the NPR cites 227 incidents from 2019 through 2023 involving fires, explosions, gas releases, burns, overheating and smoke inhalation that the rule could potentially have prevented. Ninety of those incidents were associated with 39 deaths and 181 injuries. The agency also found that micromobility products as a whole do not substantially comply with the voluntary standards, which is why it wants mandatory rules.

As proposed, products manufactured after a 180-day effective date would have to comply with a final rule.

What does it mean for riders and shoppers right now? Nothing changes on your bike today. But the direction is clear: UL 2849 certification for the whole e-bike electrical system, and UL 2271 for replacement packs, are the benchmarks regulators are building on. Our advice is the same as before. Buy e-bikes and replacement batteries certified to UL 2849 / UL 2271 by a recognized lab, and keep the receipt and labels. Use the charger made for your battery — mismatched chargers are exactly what the reverse-polarity test targets. And never use homemade or rebuilt packs; charge where you can see and hear the battery.

What those labels actually mean, our smart charger and fire-safe charging bag pick, and our battery fire prevention guide are all linked below, alongside both Federal Register notices this story is drawn from.