SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – The U.S. Consumer Product Commission has issued a recall for 300,000 electric skateboards made by Santa Cruz-based company, Future Motion. OneWheel riders are being urged to stop using their electric skateboards immediately due to dozens of reported injuries and four deaths associated with the popular electric skateboards.
According to the commission, the skateboards can stop balancing the rider if the boards’ limits are exceeded, posing a crash hazard that can result in serious injury or death. Reported injuries include traumatic brain injury, concussion, paralysis, and fractures, with at least three of the victims not wearing a helmet. This has prompted concerns from residents and vendors in the Santa Cruz area.
Olivier Guincetre, owner of Covewater Surf Shop and a OneWheel vendor, acknowledges the unfortunate incidents but believes that the responsibility falls on the riders, stating, “It’s definitely not what we wanted to hear, but at the end of the day this seems like to me it’s more of a rider mistake.” However, as a small local vendor, Guincetre is concerned about the financial impact of the recall on his business, despite the strong support of the community.
Residents of Santa Cruz who have tried the OneWheels describe the boards as fun but challenging to ride, emphasizing the difficulty of maintaining control due to the motorized nature of the boards. The models under recall include the OneWheel GT, OneWheel Pint X, OneWheel Pint, and the OneWheel+ XR. The report advises users to download updates for the OneWheel app, which includes a buzz alert function to warn riders when the board is approaching its limits.
This is not the first time that Future Motion has faced safety concerns, as the commission had issued a warning to users about a possible ejection hazard the previous year. The company’s response to these issues and the impact on the safety of their products will likely be closely monitored by the OneWheel community and regulatory agencies moving forward.