Delivery people, employees on their way to the office… Just like in Paris, hundreds of electric bicycles and scooters cross the streets of New York (USA) every day. While these forms of “micromobility” contribute to public health by reducing air pollution, they sometimes come at a cost in human life.
Even without a warning sign, there is a risk that the battery of an electrified two-wheeler – whether charged in the connected vehicle or separately – will catch fire. Since it contains much more energy than, for example, a smartphone battery, the flames it creates only give occupants a few seconds to escape.
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Those fires are “particularly dangerous,” alerted Laura Kavanagh, city fire chief, contacted by the New York Times (June 21, 2023), days after an explosion at an electric bike shop in Chinatown. Result: four dead.
Other cities affected by battery explosions
New York is not the only city affected. More than 200 incidents of overheating or fires related to micromobility have been reported in 39 US states, resulting in nearly 20 fatalities (US Consumer Product Safety Commission).
In London, a charged bicycle and an electric scooter exploded within a week, the English capital’s fire brigade reported in an article on May 26, illustrated by an impressive video. Since the beginning of the year, the firefighters had found 52 and 12 fires, respectively, involving electric bicycles and electric scooters.
🚨This footage shows just how dangerous it can be when a dead e-bike lithium battery catches fire and explodes.🔥
Luckily no one was hurt in this particular incident that took place #RoehamptonSouth West London last weekend. pic.twitter.com/fnCXAcnPjp
— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) May 26, 2023
“While we cannot know for sure why this battery failed, we do know that the e-bike was purchased used and that an additional battery purchased from an online marketplace was fitted. Brigade deputy: Bought cheap batteries online.” […] are more likely to break down and pose an increased fire hazard.”
“As the video clearly shows, thermal runaway of the bike can start a rapid and violent fire,” the firefighter added. Happily [le propriétaire] and his family are unharmed. There is no doubt that it could have been a lot worse, so we recommend keeping these items in a safe place, such as a garage or shed, rather than indoors whenever possible.”
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In France, in Hyères, “a fire broke out on the balcony of an apartment because an electric bicycle was being charged. The fire was quickly brought under control by the Var fire brigade, who called for vigilance while loading bicycles and electric machines,” a colleague from France Bleu Provence reported on May 5.
One of the main causes of fires
In New York, lithium battery-related fires have been added to the electrical fires list in three years. In fact, this reason ranks among the leading causes of fatal fires in the city, namely kitchen fires and poorly extinguished cigarettes.
The factors that have contributed to the rise of this scourge are many. In particular, the authorities cite a lack of regulations and safety controls for micro-mobility vehicles, but also dangerous charging practices (inadequate equipment, electrical overload) and the lack of safe charging areas in a densely populated city.
The New York Times traces the phenomenon’s origins to the Covid-19 pandemic, which by disrupting public transit and increasing demand for home deliveries would have set the stage for a massive proliferation of bicycles and cheap, but affordable, electric scooters.
“I have very, very serious short-term concerns,” Commissioner Kavanagh told the New York Times. “These devices are there now, and there are a lot of them.”
But the authorities did not remain idle. In September, New York will become the first city in the country to ban the sale of e-bikes and other electromobility devices that do not meet recognized safety standards. In addition to the closure of illegal charging stations, this measure also includes prevention campaigns aimed at employees of home delivery services on the one hand and the general public on the other.
self-service bikes
Aside from individual electric bikes and scooters, self-service vehicles are no exception to the problem. Across the Atlantic, it was Citi Bike — the New York equivalent of Paris’ Vélib’ — that suffered a fire in March 2019 that broke out while charging electric bikes at its Brooklyn warehouse.
“In an instant, the batteries began igniting one after the other, like a domino effect, from right to left,” a witness to the incident said in a report. “Within 10 seconds, the entire top row turned into a mini fire.” Safety protocols put in place after the tragedy have so far prevented such an event from happening again.
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How about the electric car that you can also charge at home, for example in your garage? Automakers are subject to more regulations and controls that prevent such fires, according to experts polled by the New York Times. Security locks, which manufacturers of electric two-wheelers unfortunately did not consider until recently.
“Technically, we don’t have any statistics or reliable elements that allow us to say that the batteries of the bikes burn more than those of the others,” estimates Stéphane Farrugia, technical director in Switzerland at the fire insurance company and former firefighter, contacted by RTS in February 2023. “On the other hand, we know that these batteries are very sensitive to temperature fluctuations, shocks and storage locations exposed to frost, moisture or high temperatures. This weakens them.”
Tips to avoid tragedy
“The biggest risk is charging your electronic device indoors,” summarizes Lt. Col. Michel Persoglio in the Var for France Bleu Provence. If the battery catches fire during charging, the response is extremely fast. In a few cases, a fire can be completely unstoppable in seconds. The consequences can be dramatic when the owners are in the home, especially if it happens at night.”
The firefighter therefore advises: “If possible, charge your bike or electric scooter outside the house.” In the garden, on the terrace or in the garage it is perfect. If this is not possible, it is imperative to unplug the device at night as well as when leaving your accommodation”.
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