The Windgoo B20 Electric Bike Fully Fire and Flame

The Windgoo B20 is at risk of catching fire during charging and has outright been banned from sale in the United Kingdom

Certainly, November seems to be the month of defective electric bikes. After Moustache and Carqon earlier this month, it is now Windgoo, a Chinese manufacturer of electric bicycles, that is making headlines. An issue related to its battery has prompted the British government to warn its citizens, in addition to halting sales of the bike in question.

The British government warns…

The government’s statement mentions a fire risk that could occur during the bike’s charging process. According to them, the lithium-ion battery can enter a failure mode, which may lead to thermal runaway and fire.

Even more concerning, the British government states that Windgoo has not been able to provide the expected documents. These were supposed to confirm that their product meets the safety standards set by the UK government.

… but Windgoo is not recalling its bikes

Where things become complicated is that Windgoo has issued no statement and is thus not recalling its bikes. This poses a real risk for users who may not be aware of the danger they face when charging their bike. Furthermore, Windgoo has not limited its sales to the UK only; the issue present on the model sold there also exists on the product available in France and across Europe.

These events have nonetheless impacted the sale of the B20. It is now unavailable for online purchase on platforms where it was previously available in Europe, such as Fnac and Amazon. On Windgoo’s official website, it is marked as sold out, but it remains visible on the site.

This situation also explains why French electric bike manufacturers highlight Made in France. The product is generally more expensive, but at least the manufacturer is avoiding putting its customers at risk.

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