Last month, Gizmodo told you about the time a Boosted Board “tried to kill” one of our writers. Now, it turns out, the electric longboards might even be dangerous for people with excellent coordination.
https://gizmodo.com/the-new-boosted-board-tried-to-kill-me-1787143228
The electric longboard makers issued a warning to their customers today, urging them to discontinue use of the 2nd-generation board and to not charge its battery for the time being. The company’s advisory stated that there is an ongoing investigation related to two incidents in which the swappable lithium-ion battery overheated. The statement also recommended storing the board away from flammable objects.
Boosted is suspending sales and shipping until the investigation is complete.
“We take battery and rider safety extremely seriously at Boosted,” the message says. “We are working non-stop to diagnose this issue and resolve it for all our riders.”
Lithium-ion batteries are great for electronics manufacturers because they are small and light. But they are also volatile and have been to blame for several high-profile headaches for manufacturers—not to mention injuries and property damage for customers. Hoverboards are practically dead, the Boeing 787 has had a history of failures with its batteries and, of course, Samsung is losing billions because of its exploding Galaxy Note 7 phone.
While this is not a great sign for lovers of the newest Boosted Board, it is good to know that the company is getting ahead of this potentially dangerous situation and doing its best to inform the public.
[CNET]
