Hundreds of thousands of Onewheel electric skateboards are being recalled due to a crash hazard that has resulted in the deaths of four people since 2019, according to an announcement by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on Friday. The skateboards, manufactured by Future Motion, have also caused severe injuries such as traumatic brain injury, paralysis, fractures, and ligament damage. The CPSC stated that the skateboards can stop balancing the rider if their limits are exceeded, posing a serious risk of injury or death. In at least three of the incidents where fatalities occurred, the riders were not wearing helmets.
Owners of the affected skateboards, including models such as Onewheel GT, Onewheel Pint X, Onewheel Pint, or Onewheel+ XR, are urged to immediately stop using them. Future Motion has advised owners to download or update the Onewheel app to receive Haptic Buzz alert functionality. This feature provides a vibration warning system to alert riders when they are at risk of a crash, allowing them to slow down and lean back. However, the original Onewheel model and Onewheel+ are not eligible for the update and should not be used any further. Owners of those boards can receive a $100 credit towards the purchase of a new one.
The recall affects approximately 300,000 skateboards that were sold online and at independent stores between January 2014 and September 2023, with prices ranging from $1,050 to $2,200. Future Motion is currently reaching out to known purchasers of the products. In response to the recall, Onewheel emphasized the importance of rider safety, urging all riders to always wear helmets and other protective gear while using their products. According to the company, updates for eligible boards will be made available in the following weeks to enhance rider safety.