SGS to certify personal electric mobility devices in Singapore

This further expands the range of services SGS can offer to manufacturers, suppliers and retailers of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE).

It became compulsory in Singapore for persons aged 16 and above to register their e-scooter with the LTA from January 2019. For riders below 16 years of age, a e-scooter must be registered by a parent or guardian. All new e-scooters must be registered before use.

These regulatory changes result from the passing of the Active Mobility Act (AMA), which came into effect on 1st May, 2018. This act governs the use of PMD with handlebars on public paths.

Since 2016, there have been over 90 PMD-related fire incidents on public paths in Singapore and registration is designed to improve safety in response to this increasing problem. Many are caused by electrical anomalies in the electrical circuitry or batteries, and may result in physical damage to the device, overcharging of rechargeable batteries, use of an unsuitable charger/battery, or manufacturing defects.

The new regulations apply to items, such as e-scooters, which comply with the following criteria:

• Maximum device unladen weight of 20kg
• Maximum device width of 70cm, and
• Maximum device speed of 25km/h

The AMA requires all electric PMD meeting these criteria to be certified to UL 2272 – Certification for Motorised PMDs. This standard specifies a set of safety requirements covering the electrical drive train system, including the battery system, and other circuitry and electrical components utilised in motorised PMDs.

Stakeholders should be aware this regulation does not apply to power-assisted bicycles (PABs), which will be registered under a different scheme as part of the Road Traffic Act.

UL 2272 was determined by the LTA to be the only standard that currently, comprehensively covers the factors causing concern. Certification requires the passing of a series of electrical, mechanical and environmental tests:

AC Adaptors for use with PMDs

Since 1st June 2019, Enterprise Singapore (as the Safety Authority) will only accept AC adaptors for use with PMDs for certification and registration under the Consumer Protection (Safety Requirements) Registration scheme if they are tested to IEC 60950-1 or IEC 62368-1.

Motorised PMDs

Since July 1st, 2019, retailers may only sell motorised PMDs (e.g. e-scooters, self-balancing electric skateboards) that are certified to the UL2272 standard.

Non-UL2272 certified e-scooters purchased before July 1st, 2019 and registered with the LTA may still be used on public paths. However, from July 1st, 2020, non-UL2272 certified motorised PMDs will not be allowed on public paths and all registered non-UL2272 certified e-scooters will be automatically deregistered.

A mandatory inspection regime for registered e-scooters will be introduced from 1st April 2020, and all e-scooters which were earlier registered and self-declared certified to the UL2272 standard will be scheduled for inspections. All new e-scooters will also have to pass inspections for UL2272 certification and width, weight, and device speed before they can be registered with LTA.

SGS in Singapore, designated a Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) by Enterprise Singapore Safety Authority, can offer a one-stop service to suppliers, manufacturers and retailers looking to gain access to global and domestic markets for PMD and AC adaptor certification; alongside a wide variety of EEE testing and certification needs.