Electric bikes, which are rapidly growing in popularity, pose an increasing safety risk because of fast-spreading fires sparked by the lithium ion batteries that power them.

The growing danger is prompting some lawmakers to push for tighter regulations of the batteries and the bikes.

Experts blame the fires on faulty batteries sold in low-quality, inexpensive electric bikes. The flawed batteries have been particularly deadly in New York City, where tens of thousands of residents use electric bikes and sometimes leave them charging overnight in apartments.

If an e-bike battery overheats and explodes, the fire spreads quickly and is difficult to extinguish.

“If you put water on it, it’s not going to die like other fires,” said K.M. Abraham, a research professor at the Northeastern University Center for Renewable Energy Technologies.

Mr. Abraham, who helped develop lithium battery technology, told The Washington Times that the electric bike fires are likely triggered by poor-quality batteries that overcharge, become overheated and then explode.

Mr. Abraham said e-bikes should not be charged overnight or left unsupervised inside residences.

https://www.washingtontimes.co...ikes-causing-signif/

Some of the resulting fires have been VERY impressive and done a lot of damage to structures, homes, businesses, etc.

Oh noes!

The sky is falling…


Let me guess, more government control and regulations coming to save us in 3, 2, 1…



I keep hearing and seeing “news” stories about e-bike battery fires. They always seem to be big on fear mongering and short on specific info such as number of bikes in circulation vs number of fires, circumstances surrounding specific fires, any determination of contributing factors (charging battery with visible damage, wet environment, home made batteries vs. commercially sourced, extended charge time, etc…)


To be safe, I use a fireproof bag when charging my battery but I am really curious what the actual risk is vs the sensational headline clickbait.

The volume of Li battery fires may not be huge compared to production, but the risk they create especially in high density housing if one of them is defective or overcharged and starts burning is real and not something to be scoffed at.

Not just e-bikes but all kinds of Li-batteries in use today, it would be wise for all e-bike homeowners to have a fire extinguisher that can put out a battery fire, it should be code in metropolitan areas anyway. ABC extinguisher will work.

Good article on dealing with Li Battery fires.

Link

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:

Third fire in four days breaks out at same e-bike shop in Manhattan!

https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-bo...ke-shop-in-manhattan

Hmmm, 3 fires in 4 days at the same shop. I’m no fire investigator but I’m not entirely sure it is the batteries that are the problem.

From the article quoted (emphasis added):

Once again, smoke is coming out of the building, so I guess something else is on fire," said Gilbert Dipiano, who lives nearby. "They had another small fire across the street there just a day ago. Now, it’s something else happening. It’s very scary.”

Exclusive video taken by NY1 shows several lithium-ion batteries smoking before catching on fire Friday evening. Members of the FDNY were clearing out the shop before the blaze started, removing damaged bikes, charred batteries and other debris.

“You gotta be precautious because you never know when a fire can break and with these e-bikes. People are afraid in the area now. They’re afraid to live above one, so people need to be more precautious in the area now," Dipiano said.

That message was echoed by FDNY leadership, who recently announced a new public education initiative meant to prevent more deadly fires.

“New Yorkers should call if they see things like batteries being charged less than three feet apart, more than five batteries being charged at once, using multiple extension cords to charge them, batteries that look like they’ve been tampered with and businesses that look like they are not properly licensed businesses," Chief Fire Marshal Dan Flynn said.

Fire officials are vowing to respond to these reports with more urgency than ever before.

“We’ve instructed our members to respond forthwith," Flynn said. "If a unit is out on a fire, they’ll respond as soon as possible. Those complaints, we pledge to everyone, will be handled, addressed in some way in 12 hours.”

Fire officials say the HQ E-Bike Repair shop has been on the department’s radar, with violations dating back to 2021.

The business was inspected as recently as last year and received multiple summonses.”


Soooo let’s see…. E-bike chargers draw a lot of juice. Multiple chargers, batteries, extension cords, overloaded electrical circuits, etc these are all known factors contributing to fire hazards.

I’m not discounting the additional issues a lithium battery brings to a fire but it seems to me to be a “What came first - the chicken or the egg?” (the electrical fire or the lithium battery) kind of a question.


Of course the soaring popularity of E-Bikes makes for a good tease, how much traction would a “Irresponsible use of extension cord overloading circuit” story get? Just more sensationalized reporting and “burying the lead” deep within the story.


If the lithium batteries were truly the “cause” and were such a risk why on earth would any responsible, caring, human being continue to champion and push for increasing numbers of electric vehicles considering their batteries are so much larger with many times greater stored energy?

About six months ago, e-bikes were all everybody around here was talking about. Two of my neighbours got them last Fall, and I've only seen them riding them a couple times.

They seem to be a big thing with the Amish though. I see several them going up & down the road every day.

I haven't heard of any fires caused by the batteries around here yet.

I'm not sure this is black and white. There have been reports of EV fires in the garage. And remember notebooks combusting? Maybe a cellphone or two?

Whether cause or effect, Li batteries seem involved. More generally, ones made in our favorite commie country.

Rather than speculation and bias, I'd like to see the real root cause(s) identified. I'm not sure I'm fully comfortable with them being ubiquitous, especially if made by commies.

quote:

Originally posted by 911Boss:
If the lithium batteries were truly the “cause” and were such a risk why on earth would any responsible, caring, human being continue to champion and push for increasing numbers of electric vehicles considering their batteries are so much larger with many times greater stored energy?

Well, it would seem that many (most?) of those champions behind 'the push' don't really care about the things that they should care about!