All models of Onewheel, the electric skateboard made by Santa Cruz company Future Motion, have been recalled because of crash danger.
Four people are known to have died from head injuries suffered when they fell from a Onewheel, said the recall announcement Sept. 29 by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and Future Motion. Non-fatal injuries reported include paralysis, bone fractures and concussions, the announcement said.
“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,” the notice said.
The recall covers 300,000 Onewheels, sold online and in stores from January 2014 through September 2023. Owners are advised to stop using them immediately.
For the newer models — GT, Pint, Pint X and Onewheel+ XR — owners will be able to install updated firmware that includes the “Haptic Buzz” feature, which causes a vibrating alert if there’s a problem that affects safety.
Owners of the original Onewheel and Onewheel+ can get a store credit covering part of the price once they dispose of the board.
Future Motion had previously resisted the product safety commission’s recommendation to recall the boards, and in November issued a statement describing the agency’s warning as “unjustified and alarmist.”
The recall statement said that at least three of the four riders who died were not wearing a helmet.
The boards cost between $1,050 and $2,200. Their stated maximum speed is about 20 mph, though some riders claim to have exceeded 30 mph.
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