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The Sun
10-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Popular power bank recalls 490,000 products & suspends production after overheating risk revealed
A POPULAR portable power bank maker has recalled its products and halted operations. The recall by Romoss Technology, which is based in Shenzhen, China, comes just weeks after the country banned uncertified power banks on aircraft. 1 Romoss has suspended production for six months after it was caught in a scandal over safety issues, according to Chinese media reports. The company has also recalled nearly 490,000 power banks from three models made between June 2023 and July 2024. Overheating risks It follows an investigation which found metal debris in their battery cells posed overheating risks. Romoss notified employees it was suspending operations from July 1 and reportedly gave them a furlough of a monthly salary – equal to 80 per cent of Shenzhen's minimum wage. The manufacturer has over 690 employees 'but only a small group involved in the recall incident is expected to continue working to ensure basic operations', a staff member told Yicai Global. The company has taken its e-commerce shops offline. It has also removed products listed on leading e-commerce platforms such as Temu. China's aviation regulator last month banned passengers from carrying power banks without Chinese safety certification markings or those recently recalled by manufacturers. The move, applicable to anyone boarding a flight in China, followed a series of global incidents involving lithium battery products overheating on planes. This included power banks. Beware phone 'heat' alert that reveals if your phone is broken The Civil Aviation Administration said power banks must clearly have the '3C', or China Compulsory Certification, marking to be allowed on aircraft. The certification is mandatory for products that may impact health, safety and environmental protection. On June 10, according to local media, Chinese authorities had temporarily suspended Apex Wuxi's 3C certification after it reportedly altered separator materials in battery cells. Apex Wuxi is one of China's leading producers of core power bank parts, which it supplies to Romoss and its rival Anker Innovations. The suspension prompted Romoss and Anker to recall a combined 1.2 million power bank units because of combustion risks. Lithium batteries in devices such as laptops, mobile phones, electronic cigarettes, and power banks can produce smoke, fire or extreme heat when manufacturing faults or damage cause them to short-circuit. Growing concern They are a growing concern for aviation safety as passengers carry more battery-powered items on flights. Last year, the US Federal Aviation Administration recorded three incidents of lithium batteries overheating on planes every two weeks globally compared to just under one a week in 2018. In January this year, South Korea said that a spare power bank was the possible cause of a fire that had engulfed a Busan Air flight to Hong Kong. Since that incident, airlines globally have been tightening power bank rules. Aviation rules generally say power banks should be carried in cabin baggage but increasingly airlines are banning their use on board and say they must be kept within view to spot any problems. The Sun has contacted Romoss Technology for comment.
Miami Herald
05-07-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Tesla Won't Like EV Rival's Plan to Take Its Cars Global by 2027
Xiaomi, a Chinese technology company expanding its presence beyond products like smartphones into electric vehicles, has revealed that it's considering overseas sales as early as 2027. Lei Jun, Xiaomi's CEO, shared the news Wednesday following the automotive division receiving 200,000 orders in three minutes at the end of June for its upcoming YU7 SUV, directly competing with Tesla's Model Y. Tesla has been struggling to gain momentum in China, posting a 6.8% year-over-year decline during Q2 and having eight consecutive months of year-over-year sales declines before snapping the cold streak in June with a 0.83% annual increase. While BYD retained the largest market share in China among EV makers in May, Xiaomi's SU7 SUV was the country's leader in E-Segment (executive or full-size car) sales. While Xiaomi likely won't be making it to the U.S. anytime soon, its serious consideration of global expansion is among the last things Tesla wants to hear, especially as Elon Musk's company struggles this year in other markets, like much of Europe. Xiaomi Auto is one of China's fastest-growing EV makers, but it must overcome some significant challenges to pave a path toward global expansion. Backlogged orders are one of Xiaomi's primary roadblocks. Chinese consumers' interest in the company is promising for investors, but Xiaomi confirmed that drivers will have to wait over a year on average to receive an ordered YU7. Non-refundable YU7 orders reached 240,000 in the first 18 hours in late June. Xiaomi's CEO even suggested that those in urgent need of a vehicle who have pre-ordered a YU7 should consider purchasing an Xpeng G7, Li Auto i8, or Tesla Model Y, according to Yicai Global. Local publication Sina Technology reports that Xiaomi's Auto Phase II factory, which was completed in June, is urgently recruiting to ramp up YU7 production. The standard YU7 has wait times of up to 15 months, while the Max variant has the shortest wait time of about 9.5 months. The automaker also appears to have room for improvement in quality control, as its SU7 finished last in the 2025 Q1 China automobile quality ranking in the segment of large BEV sedans, according to CarNewsChina. Xiaomi appears to be taking this area seriously, with its CEO noting: "Knowing Xiaomi's cars would be scrutinized by millions of netizens, that every flaw would be magnified 10‑thousand‑fold, we prioritized quality above all from day one [for the YU7]," says Yicai Global. Once Xiaomi resolves its production bottlenecks, establishes a consistent track record of quality control, and delivers widespread customer satisfaction in China, international expansion challenges include, but aren't limited to, fulfilling countries' varying regulatory requirements and establishing reliable sales, distribution, and service networks. Xiaomi is one of the most promising up-and-coming Chinese EV makers, especially with its ability to turn cars into smart automotive platforms via its comprehensive digital ecosystem. However, Xiaomi must focus on optimizing its local presence in China before expanding globally, and the company's significant production delays make the prospect of going international by 2027 a challenging task. The YU7's rollout is a pivotal moment for Xiaomi, as it presents an opportunity to demonstrate quality control and production ramp-ups for a product that will directly compete with China's best-selling vehicle in 2024, Tesla's Model Y. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
