CCTV 3·15 gala exposes rampant rental e‑bikes, calls out Hello (哈啰) and others for flouting new national standard

What CCTV revealed

China Central Television (央视) used its March 15 Consumer Rights Gala to spotlight a surge of rental electric bicycles that reportedly exceed the limits set by China’s newly implemented 2025 “Electric Bicycle Safety Technical Specifications.” The standard caps design speed at 25 km/h, battery nominal voltage at 48 V and motor output at 400 W. It has been reported that livestream sellers and brick‑and‑mortar rental outlets openly touted machines with much higher performance — one test rented by reporters reportedly hit 80 km/h — while CCTV cited Ministry of Public Security research that e‑bikes account for roughly 10% of urban road traffic accidents.

How companies allegedly evade the rules

The investigation, summarized by IT之家, named leading rental chains including Hello (哈啰). Hello is a major player in China’s short‑term vehicle rental market, and its site reportedly claims thousands of outlets across more than 100 cities. It has been reported that staff at Hello rental shops told reporters their models can reach up to 75 km/h. Investigators also detailed alleged evasion tactics: some channel partners reportedly used pre‑standard conformity certificates to register older, higher‑speed models as legal; other operators allegedly supplied vehicles that are effectively electric motorcycles but carry bicycle license plates bought on the market. These operational claims are presented as reporter findings and remain subject to verification.

Why it matters

The CCTV exposé lands on Consumer Rights Day and underscores how safety, platform responsibility and enforcement intersect in China’s fast‑evolving mobility market. For Western readers: this is not just a local safety story — it reflects a broader pattern of Beijing tightening oversight of tech and platform sectors and enforcing domestic standards that affect manufacturing, supply chains and service models. Will regulators demand recalls, fines or tighter on‑site inspections of major rental chains? That is the open question regulators now face as authorities weigh consumer safety against a sprawling rental economy.