E-bike and e-scooter fires soared to a file excessive final 12 months as hearth specialists warned of the “incredible danger” posed by among the more and more in style automobiles.
Firefighters have been known as to 211 incidents involving the gadgets final 12 months, in line with knowledge from the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS).
The figures are voluntary for hearth authorities to report and present an incomplete image throughout the nation, however they illustrate an increase in call-outs, with 207 reported in 2023, and simply 26 in 2020.
Last 12 months, the fires resulted in 86 casualties and eight deaths, and have been nearly all discovered to be linked to the battery or generator, prompting considerations over DIY-type e-bike conversions utilizing kits bought on-line.
In August, eight-year-old Luke Abiston O’Donnell died from carbon monoxide poisoning after an e-bike being charged within the entrance room of his home in Merseyside caught hearth. The blaze was sparked by the ignition of the bike’s lithium-ion battery, an inquest discovered.
Just earlier than Christmas, a household’s house in Catford, in London, was destroyed by a hearth brought on by a battery on a second-hand e-bike that exploded.
The 12 months earlier than, as reported by The Independenta father’s spouse and two kids have been killed in a hearth began by a substitute lithium e-bike battery, purchased on eBay, that had been left charging.
A spokesperson for London Fire Brigade, which made up a lot of the incidents shared by the OPSS final 12 months, mentioned: “E-bikes and e-scooters are a green and sustainable way to travel around our city.
“However, the stark reality is that some of these vehicles are proving to be incredibly dangerous and are at greater risk of malfunctioning, particularly if they’ve been modified, fitted or converted with second-hand products or if the batteries are used with the incorrect chargers.”
Kits to transform bicycles into e-bikes will be bought on-line for as little at £150, with the battery and charger obtained individually.
But there are considerations over the protection of batteries and chargers purchased on-line.
Earlier this 12 months,The Independent beforehand discovered a UPP (Unit Pack Power) branded e-bike battery, which was topic to a authorities withdrawal discover over hearth threat, was being offered on Facebook Marketplace.
Pressure has additionally been constructing on the federal government to sort out the difficulty, with Liberal Democrat MP Clive Jones just lately urging ministers to make sure they’re included within the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, geared toward tightening product security on on-line marketplaces.
Experts say High Street retailers have a better legal responsibility for product security than promoting on on-line market platforms.
London Fire Brigade deputy assistant commissioner Richard Field instructed The Independent: “At the moment, there is not the same level of regulation of products for e-bikes and e-scooters sold via online marketplaces or auction sites when compared to high street shops, so we cannot be confident that products meet the correct safety standard.
“The Product Regulation and Metrology Bill is a really welcome step in the drive to reduce the worrying risk of e-bike and e-scooter fires, ultimately by decreasing the chance of customers being exposed to buying unsafe products, such as lithium batteries, chargers and conversion kits which are dangerous and do not meet UK safety standards.
But charity Electrical Safety First said greater legislation beyond the Bill was needed, including a mandatory requirement for third-party certification on the safety of devices sold online. It also wants new safety standards set for the devices.
A spokesperson said: “The growing number of fires linked to e-bike and e-scooter batteries occurring across the country – and the devastating consequences they bring – is a stark reminder of the need for new laws to tackle these blazes.
“These fires are often caused by converted or heavily modified e-bikes, or substandard batteries. Whilst we’re encouraged the government has introduced the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, which gives powers to tackle e-bike battery fires, it is vital that this legislation is robust enough to tackle this issue head-on.”
An Amazon spokesperson mentioned security was a high precedence and it had partnered with LFB to supply prospects with recommendations on the best way to use and retailer e-bikes and e-scooters safely.
“We require all products offered in our store to comply with applicable laws and regulations. We monitor for product safety concerns, and we go further by requiring sellers of e-mobility products to provide documented testing carried out by an accredited lab,” they added.
A spokesperson for the Department for Business and Trade mentioned a marketing campaign – known as Buy Safe, Be Safe – had been launched in response to the rise in lithium-ion battery fires.
They mentioned: “We take the risk of fires caused by lithium-ion batteries very seriously, including those linked to e-bikes and e-scooters.
“We are also updating our product safety laws to help keep the public safe, as well as taking action at ports and borders to stop unsafe or non-compliant products from reaching consumers.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/ebike-fires-escooters-batteries-conversion-london-b2766552.html