Feds warn NHT X1-5 hoverboards sold on Amazon pose fire risk
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning consumers against using or charging certain hoverboards sold by Amazon and other retailers because their lithium batteries can overheat and ignite.
The board's manufacturer, New High-Tech Enterprise, or NHT, has refused the federal agency's request that it recall the product, despite it "posing a fire risk that can lead to smoke inhalation or serious injuries, including death," the federal agency said in a news release this week. The commission said it was aware of one report of an X1-5 hoverboard overheating and smoking.
A sample hoverboard was tested and found to be not in compliance with safety standards, CPSC added.
The Houston, Texas, manufacturer sold the NHT X1-5 hoverboards to consumers online at www.nhthoverboard.com, www.Amazon.com, and at www.ewheelsusa.com/hoverboard/, according to the CPSC.
While the X1-5 bears a so-called UL mark, it is no longer listed by Underwriter Laboratories, a company that tests electronics and certifies them as safe, the agency stated. A white label on the bottom of the hoverboard states: "Model: X1-5" and "Product Name: Balance Scooter."
CPSC could not say how many of the boards were sold, nor in what timeframe, with a spokesperson citing NHT's lack of cooperation. The agency also could not be certain the boards are no longer being sold. "We are concerned that they might be resold in the secondary market, or are still in consumers' home from the original sale," a spokesperson told CBS MoneyWatch.
NHT did not return requests for comment.
Injuries from falls, in addition to reports of hoverboards igniting have plagued the product since it became popular five years ago.
