Acer Fails to Adequately Test Lithium-Ion Laptop Batteries, Class Action Alleges

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A proposed class action claims that Acer has failed to adequately test the lithium-ion batteries in its Spin 1 laptops for certain manufacturing defects, leaving them prone to premature failure and degradation.

The 11-page case alleges Acer deceptively represents that its Spin 1 laptops function adequately and reliably given that the company does not properly test its lithium-ion batteries for manufacturing issues that reduce the product’s lifespan. These issues can include structural cell defects, electrode overhang, tab burrs, morphological defects, high electrical current drain rate, and the presence of impurities or contaminants, the suit says.

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Consumers reasonably expect their laptop battery to reliably function for the computer’s lifespan, especially since a laptop’s battery is its “most important feature, allowing use of the computer without a power source,” the filing contends.

The suit alleges that Acer’s testing methods are limited to electrochemical characterization with a focus on macroscopic battery performance, which overlooks defects and “failure precursors” that can be introduced during manufacturing, including “raw electrode material processing, cell grading and battery pack assembling.”

“By failing to utilize available testing procedures to focus on the above issues, users have a greater chance of buying laptops with battery performance issues, unconnected to their usage patterns,” the filing contends.

The plaintiff, an Alabama resident, claims to have bought a Spin 1 laptop from Walmart in May 2020 under the assumption that its battery would be adequately manufactured, designed and tested. Instead, the computer was “incapable of obtaining and maintaining its charge for any reasonable period of time, preventing and limiting her ability to use it” after only several months, the suit asserts.

Per the complaint, the plaintiff and other consumers paid more for Acer’s Spin 1 laptops than they would have had they known that the company did not properly test its batteries for defects.

The lawsuit looks to represent anyone in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, West Virginia or Oklahoma who purchased an Acer Spin 1 laptop during the applicable statute of limitations period.

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