Hello (哈啰) launches overnight self‑inspection after CCTV 3·15 Gala exposure

Quick response after prime‑time exposure

Hello (哈啰), a leading electric‑bike rental brand in China, told customers it had "immediately" set up a special emergency working group and begun an overnight comprehensive self‑inspection and rectification after being named on CCTV’s high‑profile 3·15 Consumer Rights Gala. The company’s customer service said the management is treating the matter with top priority and that detailed handling announcements will be published later via the official app.

What the broadcast alleged

The CCTV report, echoed by IT之家 and other outlets, highlighted rental e‑bikes on sale and in livestreams that reportedly exceed national safety limits — with shop staff and some chain outlets claiming top speeds as high as 75 km/h and a reporter allegedly recording a rented vehicle reaching 80 km/h. That would far exceed the 2025 national "Electric Bicycle Safety Technical Specification" which caps design top speed at 25 km/h, battery nominal voltage at 48 V, and motor output at no more than 400 W. Traffic data from the Ministry of Public Security’s Road Traffic Safety Research Center shows e‑bike speed tampering is a known cause of urban accidents, accounting for roughly 10% of city traffic collisions.

Supply‑chain loopholes and allegations

It has been reported that some channel operators and shop managers exploit pre‑standard paperwork and other loopholes to evade the new "one vehicle, one battery, one charger, one code" regime. Reportedly, some distributors obtain vehicle plates tied to older certificates or supply vehicles that are effectively electric motorcycles but carry e‑bike plates. These claims remain under investigation and Hello’s public statement so far stops short of admitting systemic failures.

Wider regulatory context

For Western readers: CCTV’s 3·15 Gala is China’s annual, state‑backed consumer‑rights program and can trigger rapid enforcement and public backlash. The episode comes amid sustained regulatory tightening across China’s tech and mobility sectors on safety, consumer protection and platform responsibility. How regulators will act — fines, recalls, tighter licensing or criminal probes — remains to be seen, but for Hello the immediate task is clear: demonstrate transparent corrective action and reassure millions of users in its national network of stores.