Hellobike E-Bike Power Failure Leads to PhD Student's Grade 10 Disability, Court Mediates RMB 215,000

On June 5, 2025, a doctoral student at a Xiamen university was riding a Hellobike campus e-bike when the vehicle suddenly lost power, the rear wheel locked, causing the bike to overturn. Medical diagnoses revealed a right tibial plateau avulsion fracture, a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee, and a lateral meniscus tear. Over the following year, the student underwent multiple surgeries and rehabilitation treatments across cities, halting academic progress.

The Xiamen traffic police department issued a road traffic accident certificate five days after the incident. A vehicle fault investigation report from Shanghai Hellobike Puhui Technology Co. , Ltd. confirmed a power failure in the involved e-bike, which was linked to the user's fall and injuries. On December 9, 2025, the Xiamen branch of Fujian Dingli Judicial Expertise Center issued an assessment concluding that the student's injuries constituted a Grade 10 disability.

On December 23, 2025, the student filed a civil lawsuit with the Xiamen Xiang'an District People's Court, claiming total damages of RMB 264,549.08 for medical expenses, disability compensation, lost income, moral damages, and appraisal fees. On July 17, 2026, through court mediation, both parties reached a written agreement: Shanghai Hellobike Puhui Technology Co. was required to pay a lump-sum compensation of RMB 215,000 by July 31, 2026.

After the accident, the traffic police made multiple attempts to retrieve Hellobike's backend data, including vehicle operating status, fault occurrence time, and riding trajectory, but were unsuccessful. As of the time of reporting, Hellobike had not issued a response.