In light of multiple fatal incidents and injuries, a significant recall of 300,000 Onewheel electric skateboards has been issued by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
Between 2019 and 2021, Future Motion Inc., the manufacturing firm of the self-balancing skateboards, received notifications of four deaths and several cases involving traumatic brain injuries and fractures in both upper and lower body parts related to their products.
A crash hazard that has the potential to cause severe injury or fatality is present as “the skateboards can cease balancing the rider if the boards’ limitations are surpassed,” declared the CPSC.
The recall pertains to all Onewheel electric skateboard models, with particular emphasis on Original Onewheel or Onewheel+ owners to dispose of their units. A prorated refund, rendered as Onewheel store credit, is available for affected customers.
Owners of the Onewheel GT, Onewheel Pint X, Onewheel Pint, or Onewheel+ XR models are instructed to perform a firmware update once it is released, which is anticipated to be available within the next six weeks.
Head injuries were a commonality in the reported deaths, with the CPSC noting that a minimum of three out of the four victims were without helmets during the incidents. The statement further encouraged riders to always utilize personal protective equipment during usage, a sentiment echoed by Future Motion Inc.
Spanning sales from January 2014 to September 2023, the now-recalled Onewheel skateboards were priced between $1,050 and $2,200.
Onewheel, reflecting on the recall and forthcoming updates, conveyed in a statement: “This update represents the final product of months of collaborative efforts with the CPSC, and we stand committed to continuous enhancement in crafting the optimum experience for our community of riders.”