Aipas Ebike Settlement with Amazon and UL Exposes Persistent Certification Fraud
A federal judge has barred Aipas-associated firms from using UL marks, but reports indicate continued use of the logo in social media advertising, highlighting broader risks in the lithium-ion battery market.
Several Chinese manufacturers associated with the Aipas electric bike brand settled a lawsuit in July with Amazon and safety certification body UL. The US companies accused the firms of falsely claiming their products held UL safety certification in online listings and on the Aipas website. A federal judge approved a permanent injunction on July 15, prohibiting the companies from using the UL mark or assisting others in doing so, though the firms did not admit liability. Despite the settlement, WIRED reported that Aipas continued to run Facebook ads featuring the UL logo after the injunction was signed. The case highlights broader concerns regarding fraudulent safety certifications for lithium-ion batteries in ebikes, which have been linked to numerous fires and fatalities in the United States.
The legal action, initiated in January, targeted specific entities including Jiangmen Meijiasheng Bicycle and Hong Kong Manchester International Trading, among others. The injunction bars these firms from using the UL mark or aiding others in doing so. However, investigations by WIRED revealed that a Facebook account associated with Aipas Ebike was still running ads featuring UL’s bright red logo in mid-July, shortly after the court order was issued. Meta’s Ad Library data indicates that at least one such ad had been active since April, months after the lawsuit was filed.
Further scrutiny of advertising records showed that another ad using the UL mark, first posted in May, appeared to disappear from the Ad Library only after WIRED contacted Aipas and UL for comment. While Amazon declined to comment on the lawsuit, a UL spokesperson stated the team is “aware and working to resolve” the issues related to the Facebook ads. Neither Aipas Ebike nor its legal representatives responded to multiple requests for comment.
The dispute underscores significant safety risks associated with electric mobility devices. A US government report found that 45 fatalities between 2017 and 2024 were linked to lithium-ion battery fires in mobility devices, with 19 involving ebikes. The New York City Fire Department recorded 277 lithium-ion battery fires in 2024, a slight increase from the previous year, many of which were associated with replacement battery packs. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has urged consumers to use only devices certified by accredited laboratories.
While some Aipas ebikes and batteries eventually received safety certifications from SGS, a nationally recognized organization, the status of these certifications is now mixed. Certificates for ebikes in the “M”, “A”, and “F” lines, issued in September and November 2025, are no longer active, although the battery certificate remains valid. Aipas’ website continues to link to these inactive SGS ebike safety certificates, creating potential confusion for buyers. Industry experts warn that such practices pollute the marketplace and erode consumer trust in online safety claims.
