Due to cheap, faulty batteries, hoverboards are catching fire and exploding.
These self-balancing scooters run on rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, and because consumers are looking for more affordable items, they are buying hoverboards with cheaper batteries installed.
Professor of Materials Science & Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, Jay Whitacre, says, “There are a lot of factories in China that now make Li-ion batteries, and the reality is that the quality and consistency of these batteries is typically not as good as what is found in top tier producers such as LG or Samsung.”
If the separators in the batteries are damaged in any way, it can cause a short circuit, according to Wired.com.
“When this happens, especially when the batteries are charged, a lot of heat is generated inside the cells and this leads to electrolyte boiling, the rupture of the cell casing, and then a significant fire,” explains Whitacre.
According to Wired.com, “that’s why our high-powered, long-range electric cars, like those made by Tesla, have highly advanced cooling fans and heat-sink systems. The fan is the key component inside the vehicle that keeps the battery cells operating at a safe temperature.”
There are no cooling fans or heat-sink systems in the hoverboards.
Wired also warns that this might not be the sole cause of the explosions, and defective chargers may also be to blame.
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