Embrace Safety Race: Die Powerbank-Branche erlebt neue Chancen.

On June 26, the Civil Aviation Administration of China publicly issued a notice stating that starting from June 28, passengers are prohibited from carrying power banks (portable chargers) without a 3C logo, with an unclear 3C logo, or of recalled models or batches on domestic flights. The notice also clearly pointed out that the reason for the new rule is the recent safety and quality risks associated with power bank products:

The risks posed to the safe operation of civil aviation continue to increase.

As expected, this notice has continued to draw wide attention from netizens regarding the safety of power banks. After all, after some brands recalled their power banks, many people have doubts about the safety of power banks.

From the currently released recall announcements, it is actually pointed out that due to the batch of battery cells supplied by the vendor, in some products, the diaphragm insulation may fail during long - term use, posing a safety risk of overheating or even combustion.

According to netizens' feedback, although a product belongs to a recalled model, after verification using the SN code on the device, it is found that the product is not within the recall scope, indicating that there are different batches of battery cells for the same model. On the other hand, although other brands have not explicitly announced recalls, for mainstream portable charger brands, especially leading companies such as Xiaomi, Ugreen, and Coolmate, do they not need to recall their products because they have a strict internal safety quality inspection system and their products meet the quality standards?

I'm afraid this is what many consumers want to know.

A single batch of battery cells triggers a trust crisis. Where does the problem lie?

One of the cores of this power bank safety incident lies in the "batch of battery cells supplied by the vendor" mentioned in the recall announcements of some brands. Although the brands have not publicly stated who the vendor is, at present, it can basically be confirmed that it is Amprius, a well - known battery cell supplier.

On the one hand, multiple disassembly videos of recalled power bank models on social media show that these power banks do use Amprius battery cells. More importantly, according to the query results from the China Quality Certification Center, 11 3C certifications of Amprius (Wuxi) Co., Ltd. have all been "suspended", with the same reason noted:

"The factory failed the supervision inspection, there were serious non - conformities during the factory inspection (such as problems with product consistency), or the non - conformity report from the factory inspection did not have corrective measures taken within the specified time limit and reported to the inspection team for verification and effectiveness."

From this incident, it can be seen that the problem actually lies in specific batches of Amprius battery cells, and these batches are the key reason for the recall of some brands' products.

According to industry insiders, the involved Amprius battery cells (model 126280) have two batch versions (described as V1.0 and V2.0 versions for easy distinction). Only the V1.0 version is involved in the incident, and the V2.0 version is still safe. However, considering the severity of this incident, the relevant regulatory authorities have suspended all 3C certificates for Amprius battery cells.

From the comparison chart of the two versions, the most obvious difference between the V1.0 and V2.0 version battery cells lies in the distance between the positive and negative tabs and the layout of the tabs on the entire battery cell. In terms of the distance between the positive and negative tabs, it is 34mm for the V1.0 version and 22mm for the V2.0 version. In terms of the battery cell layout, the positive and negative tabs of the V1.0 version are closer to the two ends, while those of the V2.0 version are more centered.

To further verify the reliability of the description from industry insiders, we also looked for some materials from the previous product disassembly reports of "Chongdian Tou Wang" to prove the above conclusion.

A comparison of the actual shots of a recalled product from a certain brand and another power bank using the same model of Amprius battery cells. The picture is from Chongdian Tou Wang.

From the actual comparison pictures, it can be clearly seen that the distance between the positive and negative tabs and the layout of the tabs on the entire battery cell are consistent with the information shared by industry insiders.

Therefore, it should be objectively pointed out that there is currently no evidence indicating that power bank products using other batches of Amprius battery cells have safety problems. For example, some power banks of leading listed companies such as Xiaomi and Ugreen also use Amprius battery cells but are not involved in the above - mentioned defective batches, so they do not need to be recalled.

However, consumers' anxiety is still difficult to completely eliminate. After all, for ordinary consumers, they have no way of distinguishing which vendor's battery cells and which batch a power bank uses, and whether it is safe. The successive recalls of some brands' power banks and the centralized "suspension" of 3C certifications, even though there are details to explain behind them, it is hard for the public not to worry about the "general insecurity of the industry".

This is also a problem that the entire industry needs to face.

Rebuilding confidence starts with safer battery cells

Even with 3C certifications, technical standards, and supply - chain systems, for ordinary consumers, the most intuitive reliance is on brand endorsement and product stability. From this perspective, in this incident, mobile power brands need to save consumers' confidence, especially at the product level.

Take Ugreen as an example. Affected by the full suspension of Amprius battery cell 3C certifications, even though it did not use the involved risky batches of battery cells, the official still removed the relevant products from the market. At the same time, Ugreen also emphasizes that its currently available mobile power products use safe battery cells from leading manufacturers such as Lishen, Changhong Sijie, BAK, and EVE, and all battery cells and power banks have passed the 3C certification, reassuring consumers through brand commitments.

Anker Innovations also subsequently reached a strategic cooperation with Amperex Technology Limited (ATL), highlighting the brand's emphasis on supply - chain safety and quality. Coolmate quickly responded to the certification issue through its official Weibo to dispel consumers' doubts.

The various actions of leading brands are not only a rapid response to the current product safety crisis but also an industry responsibility to reconstruct quality standards, promoting the industry to develop in a healthier direction.

From the consumers' perspective, when faced with a wide variety of mobile power products, they also need to establish basic safety awareness. First of all, they must choose power banks that have passed the 3C certification. At the same time, they should also pay attention to whether safe battery cells are used and try to choose products from well - known manufacturers with brand endorsement and perfect after - sales services. This not only means higher factory standards but also more guaranteed handling capabilities in case of problems.

After all, safety should never be determined by luck.

The power bank safety incident may also be an inflection point for the industry

Returning to air travel, according to the notice from the Civil Aviation Administration, starting from June 28, power banks carried on domestic flights must have a clear 3C logo. Considering that the 3C certification for power banks has only been in place for the past one or two years, it means that many consumers need to purchase power banks that have passed the 3C certification. However, the new rule is undoubtedly a necessary step to improve aviation safety and be responsible for passengers.

Meanwhile, this also continues to ring the "safety" alarm for the mobile power market, both for consumers and the entire industry. As we often say, safety is no small matter. From the consumers' perspective, they may not have paid much attention to the 3C certification of power banks in the past, but now they must attach importance to it because the 3C certification represents the safety and reliability of the product. Even if it is more expensive, it is worth it.

Similarly, we should also see that this incident should not be demonized. It is true that the power bank recall incident has exposed the insufficient control of the supply chain and quality safety by some brands, but we cannot condemn the entire industry because of this. Some brands have recalled products in a timely manner and clarified the situation actively, while some brands insist on using safe battery cells that have passed the 3C certification to improve product transparency. These are all manifestations of industry improvement and optimization.

Therefore, we should view this seemingly exaggerated power bank safety incident dialectically. On the one hand, with a large amount of discussion, it is an unprecedented safety education for the entire mobile power market. On the other hand, it is also accelerating the healthy competition in the industry, allowing brands that pay more attention to user experience and product quality to stand out.

In the past, these efforts may not have been so "conspicuous", but the quality and perseverance demonstrated in this safety incident are the key to supporting brand value and user trust. For the entire mobile power industry, the greatest significance of this incident may lie in:

Compete in user experience and safety, rather than simply in price.

Consumers' expectations for power banks are not only for them to be thinner, lighter, and faster - charging, but also for them to be more reassuring and trustworthy. Brands that are willing to do more in this regard will ultimately win the choice and support of more users.