Is your e-bike battery a fire hazard? Recent highly publicized e-bike battery fires have prompted many electric bike owners to worry about whether their e-bike batteries are safe.

Recent e-bike battery fires include:

  • In New York City, fire officials were called to four separate incidences of lithium battery fires all on the same day, April 21. It’s not clear whether any of the batteries involved were e-bike batteries, but the batteries used on the electric motorbikes and scooters involved in the fires are of similar design. The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) issued a warning about the proper use, storage, and disposal of rechargeable and lithium batteries later that week. 
  • Between Jan. 1 and early May 2022, New York City reported 70 lithium battery fires versus 18 for the same period last year. 
  • In April 2022, a bike shop south of Miami burned, destroying all of the inventory, after an e-bike battery caught fire while charging. According to Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, the battery that caused the fire was a rebuilt battery left to charge overnight. 
  • In London, news reports say fires related to e-bike and scooter batteries jumped from 28 in 2020 to 74 last year. As of May 15, there have already been 30 such fires.

Lithium Batteries Are Everywhere

Rechargeable lithium batteries have made our modern world possible. They power not only our e-bikes but also cellphones, power tools, laptop computers, drones, and a myriad of other devices. For their size, they store a tremendous amount of energy. When overheated or not charged properly, that energy can lead to a catastrophic failure resulting in a fire or explosion.

The good news is that most homeowners who own a name-brand electric bike have little to fear, provided they follow best practices for use and storage of their e-bike batteries. There is no reason to shun e-bikes due to a statistically small number of battery fires. Our tips below will help you learn how to properly use and store your electric bike batteries.

Most of the e-bike battery fires involve factors that aren’t likely to be duplicated in the typical home. For instance, one reason lithium battery fires are such a problem in places like New York City is due to the proliferation of e-bike delivery services. A growing number of the city’s 65,000 bicycle delivery services are turning to electric bikes. They often buy lower-quality bikes or use rebuilt batteries. Plus, their bike batteries are more likely to be abused or damaged. Delivery drivers often charge their bike batteries overnight in unattended locations with no safety precautions. 

How To Protect Against E-bike Battery Fires

Here are five suggestions for how to reduce your odds of experiencing a lithium battery fire:

#1 – Avoid buying off-brand, low-cost electric bikes. A good-quality e-bike battery typically costs $500 to $900. At the same time, you can find entire e-bikes on some online and big-box services for no more than the cost of a good battery. Component parts on those bikes, including the batteries, will not be of high quality. Don’t fall for it.

#2 – Beware of cheap replacement batteries. Not all e-bike batteries are made the same, and this is one category where you don’t want to compromise on quality. Low-cost e-bike batteries bought online directly from Chinese sources have an especially bad reputation. It’s best to buy replacement batteries from the bike’s manufacturer or retail store.

#3 – Be careful with rebuilt batteries. E-bike owners are sometimes tempted to save money by having their failing batteries rebuilt instead of buying a replacement battery. While some rebuilt batteries may be OK, you are taking a greater chance with rebuilt batteries that may not meet the quality specifications of the original battery. Once again, the safer practice is to buy a replacement battery from the original manufacturer.

#4 – Never leave a battery unattended when charging. While it’s a common practice, it is best not to charge batteries overnight. Remove the battery from the charger as soon as it is finished charging. If you are charging the battery in a remote location, such as a garage or shed, set a timer so you don’t forget to unplug the charger. With that said, it’s best to charge batteries in a location where you can keep an eye on them, rather than in a garage or shed.

#5 – Inspect or replace damaged batteries. After a bike accident or other trauma to the battery, take it to your local bike store for an inspection and test. If in doubt, replace the battery. Don’t take a chance with internal battery damage you cannot see.

Lithium Battery Recommendations from the National Fire Protection Association

The National Fire Protection Association offers these additional consumer tips for the safe use of rechargeable lithium batteries:

  • Purchase and use devices that are listed by a qualified testing laboratory.
  • Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Only use the battery that is designed for the device.
  • Put batteries in the device the right way.
  • Only use the charging cord that came with the device.
  • Do not charge a device under your pillow, on your bed or on a couch.
  • Keep batteries at room temperature.
  • Do not place batteries in direct sunlight or keep them in hot vehicles.
  • Store batteries away from anything that can catch fire.

For more ideas on how to prevent lithium battery fires on e-bikes and e-scooters, see this video from FDNY.

NOTE: If you own a bike store, you are at higher risk of experiencing a lithium battery fire. For tips on what store owners can do to reduce their risks, see this story from BikeBiz. Human Powered Solutions also has a helpful PDF about battery fires for e-bike store owners.

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Also read: Riding and Safety Tips for New E-Bike Owners

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