Following a recall in the US, The Snowboard Shop in the UK has withdrawn Onewheel electric skateboards from its sale with immediate effect. The recall was initiated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which recalled all 300,000 products sold after four people died whilst using them. The commission stated that they posed a risk and could cause serious injury or death. The Snowboard Shop plans to contact UK customers who purchased Onewheels and is currently awaiting clarification from the manufacturer.
The Snowboard Shop has chosen to retain the products on its website to provide a link to the recall notice. However, there is no “buy” button and potential customers can only “enquire” about the skateboard. The shop plans to respond to enquiries with information regarding the recall. Other suppliers of Onewheel electric skateboards in the UK have also been approached for comment.
Last year, the CPSC discouraged people from using Onewheels, but Future Motion objected and claimed they were safe when used following basic safe riding principles. Currently, Future Motion is facing 31 lawsuits relating to the product from individuals in the US who allege that they fell from the boards after they stopped or shut off unexpectedly.
According to a Future Motion legal document filed in September, the firm is facing 31 lawsuits relating to the product from individuals in the US who allege that they fell from the boards after they stopped or shut off unexpectedly. The recall covers all Onewheel electric skateboards, including the Onewheel+, Onewheel Pint, Onewheel GT, Onewheel Pint X, and Onewheel+ XR. Reports have shown that four deaths associated with head trauma have occurred since 2019, and that in three of those incidents, the rider was not wearing a helmet.
Future Motion encourages riders to use protective equipment such as helmets and knee pads and has developed an “innovative safety alert feature,” called haptic buzz, which riders could install in the coming weeks via firmware upgrade to make their devices safer
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