Illinois § 5

§ 5.

Findings. (a) Micromobility devices, such as electric bicycles, electric scooters, and personal e-mobility devices, like hoverboards and electric unicycles, are increasingly popular, battery-powered transportation options for American consumers and workers. (b) As battery-powered devices, micromobility devices can be a fire and explosion safety hazard if they do not meet safety standards. (c) For micromobility devices that do not meet safety standards, there is a heightened risk of the lithium-ion batteries that power these devices experiencing a cascading failure where the overwhelming generation of heat triggers the release of toxic gases, explosions, or the spread of flames. (d) In 2021 and 2022, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission received reports from 39 states of at least 208 fires or overheating events that were associated with electric bicycles and personal e-mobility devices that caused 19 fatalities. (e) There are consensus standards available that mitigate the battery and electrical system hazards of electric bicycles and personal e-mobility devices that can cause fires. (f) In 2022, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a letter to the manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers of electric bicycles and personal e-mobility devices urging these products to be "designed, manufactured, and certified" to the appropriate UL standard as "manufacturing these products in compliance with the applicable UL standards significantly reduces the risk of injuries and deaths from micromobility device fires." (g) In 2023, after 216 micromobility device-related fires in 2022 that caused 147 injuries and 6 fatalities, New York City enacted legislation requiring micromobility device and battery certification to the applicable UL safety standards by an ISO-accredited laboratory. (Source: P.A. 104-414, eff. 1-1-26.)