Electric bike sales have soared in recent years as more people welcome the easy, fun mobility these motor-assisted bicycles can provide. An unfortunate side effect has been more lithium-ion battery fires.
Nationwide, there have been 188 explosions and more than 3,000 fires caused by lithium-ion battery-powered consumer devices since 2022, according to data from UL Solutions. In New York City, where many people rely on e-mobility devices such as electric scooters and bikes for their jobs and for general transportation needs, there was a significant rise in such fires in 2023—267 fires leading to 150 injuries and 18 deaths overall, according to the New York Fire Department (FDNY). According to FDNY figures, the number of e-mobility device fires is nearly nine times higher than in 2019, the last time there were no deaths associated with them.
But don’t be deterred from exploring whether an e-bike is right for you by alarming news reports. Aside from e-bikes and e-scooters, many consumer devices—including laptops and tablets, remote-controlled toys, and power tools—are powered by lithium-ion batteries. As long as they’re handled properly, they’re generally safe.
“The size of the battery scales the potential severity of the consequences of improper handling, charging, and storage,” says Dan Madrzykowski, senior research director at the UL’s Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI). “The larger the battery, the higher the energy potential, which means they release more energy when they fail, leading to faster fire spread and potential damage.”
There are key steps owners can take to stay safe. FSRI and FDNY are at the cutting edge of lithium-ion battery fire prevention and shared several important safety tips with us.
