Onewheel FedEx (Shipping Embargo)

Oskar Fällman

Onewheel FedEx

Future Motion is changing their shipping carrier from FedEx to UPS, still, there can be more things behind the switch than only business.

Users are reporting that FedEx said that the shipper’s account is under embargo for shipping undeclared hazardous materials. One user had a call from FedEx after leaving his board at the drop up station, asking him to come back and pick up the package.

We are waiting for more information to confirm this. Let’s look into the problems with shipping the Onewheel GT and what needs to be declared on the package.

The Onewheel have two things that are under FedEx Ground Hazardous Materials Table and need corresponding markings on the packaging for transportation.

  1. Lithium batteries
  2. Tire, as Air, compressed

Lithium batteries State of Charge (SoC)

 The batteries in the Onewheel are Lithium batteries and they are considered dangerous goods and therefore need certain ways and labels to be shipped because of pressure etc. 

Lithium Battery Mark (valid as of January 1st, 2017)

Lithium Battery Mark
* Place for UN number(s)
** Place for telephone number for additional information

There are rumours that Onewheel was asking customers to cover up the marks on boxes because they didn’t have the proper paperwork when they were sent back.  If this is true it’s not only breaking the FedEx rules, it’s really a safety thing and transportation of lithium-ion batteries is heavily regulated for a reason.

When shipping the board with the batteries inside it’s considered to be Lithium batteries shipped with equipment and therefore the SoC is not regulated as if the battery is shipped alone. A Lithíum battery that’s shipped needs to be at or below 30% SoC., that’s why JW, Chi batteries and others are sending their packs at 30%. 

Lithium batteries inside “equipment” during shipments

Under the regulations, lithium-ion or metal batteries may be classed as “packed with equipment” or “contained in equipment” when the batteries accompany or are installed in apparatus for which the

UN 3480, Lithium Ion Batteries Section IA and IB can be shipped with a state of charge (SoC) of maximum 30% without competent authority approval from both the state of origin and the state of the operator. UN 3480, Lithium Ion Batteries and UN 3090, Lithium Metal Batteries must be offered as Cargo Aircraft Only with the packages labelled with the IATA Cargo Aircraft Only label.

 http://www.fedex.com/se_english/learn/lithium-batteries.html

Shipping back a broken Onewheel and BMS

There is a problem with shipping back a broken board because of the battery and/or the BMS. The risk is that the board is fully charged and therefore at 100% SoC, not only that shipping companies are not allowing shipment of damaged batteries or cells for a reason. A damaged board and cell has the potential to produce a dangerous event.

FedEx does not allow the transportation of any damaged batteries or cells. This could also be a reason for the shipment embargo of Future Motion that has taken place. From their guidelines below it’s clearly stated:

FedEx Electronic items for repair

At FedEx, we are committed to effectively transporting your shipments containing lithium batteries to the final destination. In order for us to do this, it is important to ensure that when preparing shipments containing lithium batteries the batteries are not in any way defective, damaged, or have the potential to produce a dangerous evolution of heat, fire or short circuit.

 http://www.fedex.com/se_english/learn/lithium-batteries.html

UPS Electronic items for repair

When sending equipment for repairs, such as computers and cell phones or other battery-operated devices, if there is any risk that the device could overheat, it should be sent without batteries.

https://www.ups.com/assets/resources/media/en_GB/pack_ship_batteries.pdf

Shipping a Onewheel with attached pressurized tire

Many shipments are being carried out not only by truck but also by air. If a pressurized container is shipped it needs to be stated on the packaging and has the correct paperwork. The ONewheel are coming with the tire pressure from the factory, somewhere around 15-30PSI.

FedEx has pressurized tires on the FedEx Ground Hazardous Materials Table that need an identification number, UN1002, as they are classified as Air, compressed. There is a risk that they didn’t disclose the pressurized tire, and ship compressed air.

About Oskar Fällman

Oskar Fällman, founder of FallmanTech, is a seasoned Onewheel rider and a visionary system engineer with a master's in Industrial Management and Engineering from Lunds University. With thousands of miles under his belt, Oskar combines technical expertise with a passion for technology and innovation. As a leader in the Onewheel community, he not only rides Onewheel's but also prioritizes safety, new innovations and the growth of the sport. As a system engineer he also holds a multiple patents and innovations. LinkedIn, Academia profile, Contact, Twitter, Patents.