The man, Deng, taught himself technology, bought waste new energy batteries from other places, illegally assembled them into large-capacity electric bicycle batteries, and sold them at a high price. On May 17, the Beijing police reported the case of illegal assembly and modification of electric bicycle batteries, and so far 2 modification dens have been knocked out, 3 suspects have been arrested, and a total of 25 batteries and more than 1,000 raw material cells have been seized at the scene. What is shocking is that all three batteries sent to a professional institution for testing caught fire during the overcharge test.
Finished modified batteries seized by the police
The cruising range can reach 300 km
Large-capacity assembled and modified batteries are openly sold online
"72.100 amps, 300 kilometers, changed the packaging" "two groups of 72.50, the buyer picks up", with the explanation, a group of lithium batteries for electric bicycles appeared in the picture. On online platforms, such short videos have attracted a lot of attention. The video sells a 72-volt high-capacity electric vehicle battery with a claimed maximum range of 300 kilometers.
According to safety standards, the output voltage of lithium batteries for electric bicycles cannot exceed 60 volts, where does such a super-large capacity battery come from? Not long ago, the Criminal Investigation Detachment of the Fengtai Public Security Bureau in Beijing found through investigation that some people actually used the dismantled cells on the scrapped batteries to select the batteries that can continue to be used, and assembled them into electric bicycle batteries for online sales.
At the end of April, after investigation, the police identified the suspect Deng who lived in Fengtai District, and Liang, a family who lived in other places and supplied battery cells to him, and the soldiers were arrested in two ways.
The man taught himself technology and started a black business of modifying batteries
Deng rented a two-bedroom apartment in the South Third Ring Road in Fengtai District, one room was occupied by his wife and children, and the other was used as a modified operation room and the residence of his apprentice Du. In the cramped room, the police seized equipment for modified batteries, a large number of warning signs and forged certificates. 5 sets of modified finished batteries have been wrapped in plastic film and boxed.
Suspect Deng's operation room
In order to engage in battery modification, 28-year-old Deng also went to the factory for a few days to learn how to connect circuits in series and assemble batteries. After mastering the technology, Deng found Liang, bought the battery cell from Liang, welded the cell, installed a protective plate, and put it into a stainless steel battery box to make a group of large-capacity batteries.
Modified equipment used by suspect Deng
Modified equipment used by suspect Deng
According to the different battery capacity, the cost of Deng to modify a group of batteries is about three or four thousand yuan, and after the modification, it is sold at a price of 4,000-8,000 yuan. He registered an account on the video platform and recorded and published promotional videos to solicit business.
Deng can also customize services according to the size of the battery compartment of different electric bicycles, and even buy a large number of lithium battery use tips, warning signs prohibiting indoor charging, forged anti-counterfeiting certificates, etc., if the customer needs it, it will be pasted on the outside of the battery, so that it is difficult to distinguish from the appearance that this is a modified inferior battery.
Warning signs and forged certificates purchased by suspect Deng
After Deng was arrested, the investigators arrested Deng's upline Liang in the field. In addition to selling car cells and spare parts to Deng, Liang's own battery modification business is larger. There are a large number of battery cells waiting to be assembled on the shelves, and the modified batteries are undergoing charging tests.
The battery cells seized from the den of the suspect Liang
The police told reporters that unlike Deng, Liang paid in installments in the form of renting and selling, and charged a fixed fee of several hundred yuan every month. The battery is equipped with a locator, and if you don't pay within the time limit, you can remotely control it through your mobile phone, and turn off the power with one click.
The suspect assembled the battery and brought five or six fire extinguishers
All three batteries were on fire
Illegally assembled and modified batteries increase the cruising range, but also bury great safety risks.
The police told reporters that it is impossible to assemble the modified battery with high accuracy and good airtightness like the battery produced by the regular manufacturer, and once the water leaks in, it is very easy to catch fire. Deng also admitted during the interrogation that he could not guarantee the safety of the modified battery. "It is more dangerous to enter the water, and after entering the water, it is easy to catch fire if you charge it or use it directly."
Because he was also worried about a fire during the modification process, Deng placed five or six dry powder fire extinguishers in a house of less than 10 square meters, and even then he was not sure whether "the battery could be extinguished after the fire". Usually, he didn't dare to let his wife and children into the operation room.
The police sent five of the 25 modified batteries seized to a third-party professional organization for quality and safety appraisal, and the results were eye-popping.
The output voltage of the batteries modified by the suspects was marked as 72 volts, but the actual test results were all above 80 volts.
On May 9th, 10th and 11th, a third-party appraisal agency tested the overcharge of three of the batteries one by one at normal room temperature, and all three batteries caught fire without exception.
The battery caught fire during the test
The reporter saw from the experimental test video that the first piece of the overcharged battery caught fire directly in the static state; The second piece first slowly expanded, and the battery cell wrapped inside turned out like a flower, crackling and then catching fire; The third battery was the most "dangerous", and after experiencing smoke, cracking and deformation, it caught fire many times and sparks flew everywhere.
At present, Liang, Deng, and Du have been criminally detained by the Fengtai Branch in accordance with the law.
According to the reporter's understanding, recently, the Beijing police, together with relevant departments, have made every effort to promote the special rectification of illegal assembly and modification of electric bicycles, and have achieved outstanding results. More than 600 relevant stores have been verified, 12 illegal modification stores have been investigated and punished, 7 illegal modification and sales dens have been eliminated, 464 illegal vehicles have been seized, and 13 people have been criminally detained.
The police reminded that illegally modified electric bicycles will cause potential safety hazards such as wiring damage and spontaneous combustion of short circuits. Please stay away from modified vehicles, and when buying electric bicycles, you should go to regular sales points to buy regular brands. (Source: Beijing Daily client)