NYC Will Mandate Safety Certification for Micromobility Devices and Their Batteries,
Batteries,

▍What is CB Certification？

IECEE CB is the first genuine international system for mutual recognition of electrical equipment safety test reports. NCB (National Certification Body) reaches a multilateral agreement, which enables manufacturers to obtain national certification from other member countries under CB scheme on the basis of transferring one of the NCB certificates.

CB certificate is a formal CB scheme document issued by authorized NCB, which is to inform other NCB that the tested product samples conform to present standard requirement.

As a kind of standardized report, CB report lists relevant requirements from IEC standard item by item. CB report not only provides results of all required testing, measurement, verification, inspection and assessment with clearness and non-ambiguity, but also including photos, circuit diagram, pictures and product description. According to the rule of CB scheme, CB report will not take effect until it presents with CB certificate together.

▍Why we need CB Certification?

1. Directly recognized or approved by member countries

With CB certificate and CB test report, your products can be exported to some countries directly.

1. Convert to other countries certificates

The CB certificate can be directly converted to the certificate of its member countries, by providing the CB certificate, test report and difference test report (when applicable) without repeating the test, which can shorten the lead time of certification.

1. Ensure the Safety of Product

The CB certification test considers the product’s reasonable use and foreseeable safety when misused. The certified product proves the satisfactory of the safety requirements.

▍Why MCM? 

● Qualification: MCM is the first authorized CBTL of IEC 62133 standard qualification by TUV RH in mainland China.

● Certification and testing capability: MCM is among the first patch of testing and certification third party for IEC62133 standard, and has finished more than 7000 battery IEC62133 testing and CB reports for global clients.

● Technical support: MCM possesses more than 15 technical engineers specialized in testing as per IEC 62133 standard. MCM provides clients with comprehensive, accurate, closed-loop type of technical support and leading-edge information services.

In 2020, NYC legalized electric bicycles and scooters. E-bikes have been used in NYC even earlier. Since 2020, the popularity of these light vehicles in NYC has increased significantly due to legalization and the Covid-19 epidemic. Nationwide, e-bike sales surpassed electric and hybrid car sales in both 2021 and 2022. However, these new modes of transportation also pose serious fire risks and challenges. Fires caused by batteries in light vehicles are a growing problem in NYC.The number rose from 44 in 2020 to 104 in 2021 and 220 in 2022. In the first two months of 2023, there were 30 such fires. Fires were particularly damaging because they are difficult to extinguish. Lithium-ion batteries are one of the worst sources of fire. Like cars and other technologies, light vehicles can be dangerous if they don’t meet safety standards or are used incorrectly.Based on the above problems, on March 2, 2023, NYC Council voted to strengthen the fire safety control of electric bicycles and scooters and other products as well as lithium batteries. Proposal 663-A calls for:Electric bicycles and scooters and other equipment as well as internal lithium batteries, cannot be sold or rented if they do not meet specific safety certification.To be sold legally, the devices and batteries above must be certified to the relevant UL safety standards.The logo or name of the test laboratory should be displayed on the product packaging, documentation or product itself.The law will take effect on August 29, 2023. Relevant standards related to the above products are:UL 2849 for E-bikesUL 2272 for E-scootersUL 2271 for LEV traction batteryIn addition to this legislation, the mayor also announced a series of plans for light vehicle safety that the city will implement in the future. For example:Prohibition of use of batteries removed from waste storage batteries to assemble or repair lithium-ion batteries.Prohibition of sale and use of lithium-ion batteries removed from old equipment.