Dangerous product risking fire found for sale across the UK - How to spot one

An e-bike battery branded as dangerous, risking explosion, and linked to multiple serious fires is feared to still be in circulation in cities across the country. 

Models of an UPP (unit pack power) branded e-bike battery, stated to pose a serious risk of fire, were found for sale by private sellers across the country via Facebook Marketplace, sparking fears the battery is still in circulation and being passed on to unsuspecting buyers.  

A Government withdrawal notice, published online in January 2024, was issued to Amazon, eBay and Alibaba, stating that the UPP battery posed a serious risk of fire.

Whilst Facebook was not directly issued with the original withdrawal notice, the warning was published online and then re-issued by the Government earlier last month on the .GOV website to engage with the wider business community. 

Meta confirmed it had removed the listings, found by consumer safety charity Electrical Safety First, as a precaution after the charity raised its findings with the Office for Product Safety & Standards.   

Model U004 and U004-1 of the triangular-shaped UPP e-bike battery are stated to pose a serious risk of fire and presenting a risk of entering ‘thermal runaway’ - a devastating process whereby a battery reaches up to 600 degrees centigrade, releases toxic gases and creates a ferocious fire that is almost impossible to extinguish. 

The Government warning goes on to say these models should not be used as they are dangerous and can cause a serious fire or explosion that spreads rapidly, and which can lead to serious injury or death. 

Electrical Safety First was able to identify seven private listings of the UPP battery with the affected corresponding model numbers of either U004 or U004-1.  

The charity was able to confirm this in two different ways, either from the model number being visible in the images, taken by the seller, used to advertise the product, or through direct confirmation from the seller.  

Listings of confirmed models of the battery were found to be advertised for sale in Greater Manchester, Greater London, Hull, Derbyshire, Southampton, Reading and more.

One battery for sale was described by the seller as being “a little bit burnt” from being “left near a radiator”.  

Serious concerns were raised about 13 more listings where an identical shaped triangular UPP branded battery was visible but where the model numbers were unable to be confirmed, due to a limited number of photos used in the advertisement of the product.  These listings were also removed by Meta after being contacted by Electrical Safety First. 

In a follow up investigation almost one month later the charity found a further six listings of the battery for sale online where the charity was able to identify the model number, matching that of the Government warning.  

Facebook removed these listings when contacted again by the charity.  

“We urgently need sellers to check if they are unknowingly passing on a dangerous e-bike battery. A single unit of this affected battery being sold online could put a household at serious risk. It’s essential all online marketplaces and businesses proactively engage with the published Government warning,” Giuseppe Capanna, product safety engineer at Electrical Safety First, said. “The current rules governing online marketplaces are not fit for purpose, and new laws are urgently needed to protect shoppers from dangerous goods being sold on these platforms.”

The warning comes as the Government’s Product Regulation & Metrology Bill progresses through the House of Commons, with Electrical Safety First calling for new laws to prevent substandard batteries coming onto the market and being available online.  

“Whilst we’re encouraged that the Bill will address e-bike fires, it’s essential it tackles the issue head on,” Giuseppe Capanna adds. “Online marketplaces need to be legally responsible for ensuring they take steps to prevent dangerous goods being available on their sites. We also need tougher safety laws to ensure poor quality, e-bike batteries posing a fire risk don’t enter the UK market. That’s why we’re urging the Government to introduce new laws that will mandate that e-bike batteries must be independently certified as safe before being sold in the UK. At present, manufacturers can self-declare their batteries are safe - we want this to end. The fight against substandard batteries is not one we can afford to lose.”   

Battery fires 

Fires across the country have been reported involving a UPP battery. Most recently a home in Surrey was damaged after a converted bike caught fire while on charge, linked to an unknown model of UPP battery.  

In the West Midlands, a fire in Coventry in September 2023 saw a high-rise property devastated after a fire linked to the affected UPP battery spread quickly, leading to enforcement action that helped see the battery removed for sale via various online distributors.  

How to identify the battery: 

Consumers are being urged to #keepUPPdated on the identifying qualities of the battery to understand if they have an affected model.  

The battery, distinctively triangular in shape, is often found with stickers on the two faces of the battery case with the words ‘UPPBATTERY’ and/or ‘U004 BATTERY’. 

The battery often comes with an LED display or LED indicator, a power switch and a charge socket.  

Consumers are being urged to check a black sticker that is often found on one of the outer sides of the battery case displaying the model number of the battery.  

If the corresponding model number U004 or U004-1 number is displayed on the sticker consumers are urged to stop using the battery immediately.  

Government advice suggests those with the battery dispose of it safely by first checking with their local collection sites to ensure they cater for battery disposal.   

More information can be found at www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/upp