Battery danger: Read this if you have an e-bike or e-scooter

EDIT: London Fire Brigade 'Charge Safe' campaign: https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/lithium-batteries/charging-electric-bike-and-electric-scooter-lithium-batteries/

The London Fire Brigade has issued many warnings about the danger of charging batteries for e-bikes and e-scooters inside homes. There has just been another fire caused by this:

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/ebike-fire-hospital-london-fire-brigade-hackney-b1127250.html

In London so far this year there have been 150 e-bike fires and 28 e-scooter fires, LFB said.

The combined total is 53% above the figure for the whole of last year and makes them “the capital’s fastest-growing fire trend”, according to the brigade.

Three people have died and around 60 people have been hurt in the fires this year.

LFB believes there is a lack of safety standards for e-bikes and e-scooters.

Assistant commissioner Pugsley said: “From our investigations, we know many of the fires we’ve attended have involved second-hand vehicles, the use of incorrect chargers, or the bike has been modified using parts bought online.

“If you’re thinking about buying one of these vehicles as a gift for a loved one for Christmas, please make sure you’re buying it, or parts for them – like batteries, conversion kits or chargers – from a reputable seller.

“If you receive one for Christmas, or you already own an e-bike or e-scooter, make sure you’re using the correct charger, you’re not overcharging, and that you don’t tamper with or modify the battery pack.

“Keep it well away from an escape route and store or charge the vehicle outside if possible.”

A recent survey for Electrical Safety First indicated that 52% of people planned to do the majority of their Christmas shopping for electronics via online marketplaces in an effort to cut costs.

The charity warned this could leave people at risk as “ruthless sellers” look to “cash in on Christmas at the expense of shoppers’ safety”.

More articles:

The London fire brigade has warned the public not to tackle ebike fires and has demanded “proper regulation” after a man sustained life-changing injuries when his bike caught fire on Friday, one of a spate of new battery blazes.

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2023/sep/19/london-fire-brigade-warns-public-not-tackle-ebike-fires

Beware of buying dodgy kit:

So far in 2023, the Brigade has attended a record 128 e-bike fires and 26 e-scooter fires. This compares with 87 e-bike fires and 29 e-scooter fires in the whole of 2022. The fires are caused when the vehicles’ lithium batteries become damaged or fail.

The LFB told the Department for Business and Trade that greater “market surveillance” and testing requirements were needed to stop unsafe e-bike products from being sold online.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-fire-brigade-ebike-government-consultation-safety-chargesafe-escooter-lfb-b1116011.html

In an analysis of the 73 e-bike fires that occurred in the first six months of this year, LFB investigators found that at least 40 per cent are believed to involve a converted e-bike - that is a standard bike which has been electrically boosted using a so-called conversion kit.

At least 77 per cent are believed to have involved the failure of the bike’s battery and at least 41 per cent of the bikes are believed to have been on charge at the time of a fire starting.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/e-bike-scooter-fires-london-fire-brigade-conversion-kits-dangerous-record-b1104102.html

@Velocio, do you think this is worth being a sticky?