{"id":487692,"date":"2022-08-25T17:11:50","date_gmt":"2022-08-25T14:11:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/whats-causing-all-the-ebike-and-escooter-battery-fires\/"},"modified":"2022-08-25T17:11:50","modified_gmt":"2022-08-25T14:11:50","slug":"whats-causing-all-the-ebike-and-escooter-battery-fires","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/whats-causing-all-the-ebike-and-escooter-battery-fires\/","title":{"rendered":"#What\u2019s causing all the ebike and escooter battery fires?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a295a2e734ef\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a295a2e734ef\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/whats-causing-all-the-ebike-and-escooter-battery-fires\/#%E2%80%9CWhats_causing_all_the_ebike_and_escooter_battery_fires%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;What\u2019s causing all the ebike and escooter battery fires?&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/whats-causing-all-the-ebike-and-escooter-battery-fires\/#What_causes_battery_fires\" >What causes battery fires?\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/whats-causing-all-the-ebike-and-escooter-battery-fires\/#Hi_there_EV_nerd\" >Hi there, EV nerd!<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/whats-causing-all-the-ebike-and-escooter-battery-fires\/#The_problem_in_New_York\" >The problem in New York\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/whats-causing-all-the-ebike-and-escooter-battery-fires\/#Is_cost-efficiency_to_blame\" >Is cost-efficiency to blame?\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/whats-causing-all-the-ebike-and-escooter-battery-fires\/#So_what_is_New_York_City_doing_about_the_problem\" >So what is New York City doing about the problem?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CWhats_causing_all_the_ebike_and_escooter_battery_fires%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;What\u2019s causing all the ebike and escooter battery fires?&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div id=\"article-main-content\">\n                            <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The City of New York is gr<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ling with a problem \u2014 fire. Specifically, escooter and ebike lithium-ion batteries catch fire and sometimes explode. And there\u2019s no sign of it ending anytime soon.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Earlier this year, I wrote an introductory article detailing the rate of lithium-ion battery fires. Today I want to look at New York as a cautionary tale in the struggle of dealing with battery fires as ebikes (and, to a lesser extent, escooters) become mainstream.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I\u2019ll follow up with a third article tomorrow, exploring potential technological solutions to prevent battery fires.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_causes_battery_fires\"><\/span><strong>What causes battery fires?\u00a0<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"inarticle-wrapper shift channel-cta hs-embed-tnw\">\n<div id=\"hs-embed-tnw\" class=\"channel-cta-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"channel-cta-img\"><img class=\"js-lazy\" https:=\"\"\/><\/div>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/src=\" https:=\"\"\/><\/noscript><\/p>\n<div class=\"channel-cta-input\">\n<h2 class=\"channel-cta-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hi_there_EV_nerd\"><\/span>Hi there, EV nerd!<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"channel-cta-tagline\">Subscribe now for a weekly recap of our favorite mobility stories<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the case of ebikes and escooter fires, there are numerous causes. Firstly, when we talk about a lithium-ion ebike or escooter battery, we\u2019re talking about a bunch of connected batteries stored in a plastic case. A huge amount of energy resides in this small space.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" srcdoc=\"&lt;style&gt;*{padding:0;margin:0;overflow:hidden}html,body{background:#000;height:100%}img{position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover;transition:opacity .1s cubic-bezier(0.4,0,1,1)}a:hover img+img{opacity:1!important}&lt;\/style&gt;&lt;a href=\" https:=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/XlyUX1tqubA\/hqdefault.jpg\" style=\"top: 50%;left:50%;width:68px;height:48px;transform:translate3d(-50%,-50%,0)\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any one of the batteries is susceptible to overheating, which can be caused by;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">poor design<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">assembly errors<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">electrical shorting<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">use of the wrong charger<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">overcharging<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A damaged battery management system (BMS) causes overheating and inadequate cooling\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">damage to the case.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once a battery overheats, it can lead to a thermal reaction inside a battery. This is known as a thermal runway event. The reaction produces enough heat to cause adjacent battery cells to also catch fire or explode.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These fires happen incredibly quickly, and due to the self-sustaining process of thermal runaway, Lithium battery fires are also difficult to extinguish. They can leak <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/cellblockfcs.com\/why-is-a-lithium-fire-worse-than-a-regular-fire\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">toxic chemicals<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> dangerous to people and pets.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Large batteries such as those used in Electric Vehicles can reignite hours or even days after the event, even after being extinguished. Fortunately, this is far less common in ebikes and escooters.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_problem_in_New_York\"><\/span><strong>The problem in New York\u00a0<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To date <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.msn.com\/en-us\/autos\/news\/nyc-scooter-battery-fires-have-doubled-fdny-commissioner-seeks-fed-study-of-deadly-blazes-to-e2-80-98prevent-future-tragedies-e2-80-99-e2-80-94-exclusive\/ar-AA113OJI\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">this year<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 130 reported fires involving lithium-ion batteries in electric bikes and scooters in New York have been reported. Five people died. Comparatively, this time last year saw only 65 ebike and escooter battery fires.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s worth stressing that these fires make up only a small percentage of all blazes in New York. It\u2019s also highly likely that the growth in ebikes and escooters residing in the city is responsible for the increase.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But the fires are still a cause for concern, resulting in property damage, injuries, and less frequently, death. The ferociousness of a lithium-ion battery fires means multiple trucks are called, diverting attention away from other emergency services.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Further, the fires are indicative of a bigger issue facing the city.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New York has over 65,000 delivery workers, many of whom use ebikes. Gig economy workers take their ebike to limits beyond a daily commute, with all the risks outsourced to the riders.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1390860 size-featured_img js-lazy\" alt=\"gig economy worker ebike battery \" width=\"796\" height=\"995\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 796px) 100vw, 796px\" https:=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/joshua-lawrence-__0GYf08QaM-unsplash-796x995.jpeg 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/joshua-lawrence-__0GYf08QaM-unsplash-168x210.jpeg 168w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/joshua-lawrence-__0GYf08QaM-unsplash-108x135.jpeg 108w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/joshua-lawrence-__0GYf08QaM-unsplash-216x270.jpeg 216w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/joshua-lawrence-__0GYf08QaM-unsplash-1229x1536.jpeg 1229w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/joshua-lawrence-__0GYf08QaM-unsplash-1638x2048.jpeg 1638w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/joshua-lawrence-__0GYf08QaM-unsplash-1592x1990.jpeg 1592w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/joshua-lawrence-__0GYf08QaM-unsplash.jpeg 1640w\"\/><figcaption><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fshift%2F2022%2F08%2F25%2Fthe-cause-of-lithium-ion-battery-fires-ebikes-escooters-new-york%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: Gig economy workers often use ebikes not designed for rigorous riding, placing pressure on the battery. Image source: Joshua Lawrence\" data-title=\"Share Gig economy workers often use ebikes not designed for rigorous riding, placing pressure on the battery. Image source: Joshua Lawrence on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share Gig economy workers often use ebikes not designed for rigorous riding, placing pressure on the battery. Image source: Joshua Lawrence on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"\/><\/a>Gig economy workers often use ebikes not designed for rigorous riding, placing pressure on the battery. Image source: <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/photos\/__0GYf08QaM\">Joshua Lawrence<\/a><\/figcaption><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1390860 size-featured_img\" https:=\"\" alt=\"gig economy worker ebike battery \" width=\"796\" height=\"995\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/joshua-lawrence-__0GYf08QaM-unsplash-796x995.jpeg 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/joshua-lawrence-__0GYf08QaM-unsplash-168x210.jpeg 168w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/joshua-lawrence-__0GYf08QaM-unsplash-108x135.jpeg 108w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/joshua-lawrence-__0GYf08QaM-unsplash-216x270.jpeg 216w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/joshua-lawrence-__0GYf08QaM-unsplash-1229x1536.jpeg 1229w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/joshua-lawrence-__0GYf08QaM-unsplash-1638x2048.jpeg 1638w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/joshua-lawrence-__0GYf08QaM-unsplash-1592x1990.jpeg 1592w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/joshua-lawrence-__0GYf08QaM-unsplash.jpeg 1640w\"\/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ebikes are ridden for hours at a pop and in extreme weather conditions such as high heat, rain, <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/now\/york-city-food-delivery-worker-130429261.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hurricanes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and snow, all of which can degrade a battery casing, increasing the likelihood of battery damage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For many riders, the only place they charge is at home in their cheap apartment. The problem compounds when delivery workers share apartments, store their ebikes inside, and all charge their batteries overnight. And in a long shift, a rider may need more than one battery.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Earlier this year, journalist Wilfred Chan <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.curbed.com\/2022\/01\/ebike-battery-fires-delivery-workers-charging-stations.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">visited an ebike shop<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in New York equipped with powerboards charging multiple batteries for delivery riders. Staff offered her a charging spot for $50 a month.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1390857 size-featured_img js-lazy\" alt=\"lithium-ion batteries charging \" width=\"796\" height=\"530\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 796px) 100vw, 796px\" https:=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/7RFm2uXNWA6fMeaHBqVtc8CCpjRz_g0lh9jT1oc9OyJIKQlQleTxhaIneE_wIX3hnTzO_Pt_sG9EhoM2pff69E2Md7N3ehJMaE2pvYfYdGxj2uEOIUt1kZ0BVUrhtPv_yB9hA6wPWHNmW_q5W7eDBas-796x530.jpeg 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/7RFm2uXNWA6fMeaHBqVtc8CCpjRz_g0lh9jT1oc9OyJIKQlQleTxhaIneE_wIX3hnTzO_Pt_sG9EhoM2pff69E2Md7N3ehJMaE2pvYfYdGxj2uEOIUt1kZ0BVUrhtPv_yB9hA6wPWHNmW_q5W7eDBas-280x187.jpeg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/7RFm2uXNWA6fMeaHBqVtc8CCpjRz_g0lh9jT1oc9OyJIKQlQleTxhaIneE_wIX3hnTzO_Pt_sG9EhoM2pff69E2Md7N3ehJMaE2pvYfYdGxj2uEOIUt1kZ0BVUrhtPv_yB9hA6wPWHNmW_q5W7eDBas-203x135.jpeg 203w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/7RFm2uXNWA6fMeaHBqVtc8CCpjRz_g0lh9jT1oc9OyJIKQlQleTxhaIneE_wIX3hnTzO_Pt_sG9EhoM2pff69E2Md7N3ehJMaE2pvYfYdGxj2uEOIUt1kZ0BVUrhtPv_yB9hA6wPWHNmW_q5W7eDBas-405x270.jpeg 405w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/7RFm2uXNWA6fMeaHBqVtc8CCpjRz_g0lh9jT1oc9OyJIKQlQleTxhaIneE_wIX3hnTzO_Pt_sG9EhoM2pff69E2Md7N3ehJMaE2pvYfYdGxj2uEOIUt1kZ0BVUrhtPv_yB9hA6wPWHNmW_q5W7eDBas.jpeg 1400w\"\/><figcaption><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fshift%2F2022%2F08%2F25%2Fthe-cause-of-lithium-ion-battery-fires-ebikes-escooters-new-york%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: A catastrophic fire in the making? Image source: Wilfred Chan\" data-title=\"Share A catastrophic fire in the making? Image source: Wilfred Chan on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share A catastrophic fire in the making? Image source: Wilfred Chan on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"\/><\/a>A catastrophic fire in the making? Image source: <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.curbed.com\/2022\/01\/ebike-battery-fires-delivery-workers-charging-stations.html\">Wilfred Chan<\/a><\/figcaption><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1390857 size-featured_img\" https:=\"\" alt=\"lithium-ion batteries charging \" width=\"796\" height=\"530\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/7RFm2uXNWA6fMeaHBqVtc8CCpjRz_g0lh9jT1oc9OyJIKQlQleTxhaIneE_wIX3hnTzO_Pt_sG9EhoM2pff69E2Md7N3ehJMaE2pvYfYdGxj2uEOIUt1kZ0BVUrhtPv_yB9hA6wPWHNmW_q5W7eDBas-796x530.jpeg 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/7RFm2uXNWA6fMeaHBqVtc8CCpjRz_g0lh9jT1oc9OyJIKQlQleTxhaIneE_wIX3hnTzO_Pt_sG9EhoM2pff69E2Md7N3ehJMaE2pvYfYdGxj2uEOIUt1kZ0BVUrhtPv_yB9hA6wPWHNmW_q5W7eDBas-280x187.jpeg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/7RFm2uXNWA6fMeaHBqVtc8CCpjRz_g0lh9jT1oc9OyJIKQlQleTxhaIneE_wIX3hnTzO_Pt_sG9EhoM2pff69E2Md7N3ehJMaE2pvYfYdGxj2uEOIUt1kZ0BVUrhtPv_yB9hA6wPWHNmW_q5W7eDBas-203x135.jpeg 203w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/7RFm2uXNWA6fMeaHBqVtc8CCpjRz_g0lh9jT1oc9OyJIKQlQleTxhaIneE_wIX3hnTzO_Pt_sG9EhoM2pff69E2Md7N3ehJMaE2pvYfYdGxj2uEOIUt1kZ0BVUrhtPv_yB9hA6wPWHNmW_q5W7eDBas-405x270.jpeg 405w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/7RFm2uXNWA6fMeaHBqVtc8CCpjRz_g0lh9jT1oc9OyJIKQlQleTxhaIneE_wIX3hnTzO_Pt_sG9EhoM2pff69E2Md7N3ehJMaE2pvYfYdGxj2uEOIUt1kZ0BVUrhtPv_yB9hA6wPWHNmW_q5W7eDBas.jpeg 1400w\"\/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Amazingly, there have been no fires there to date.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_cost-efficiency_to_blame\"><\/span><strong>Is cost-efficiency to blame?\u00a0<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Except for some rental schemes I\u2019ll share with you tomorrow, most riders have to pay for their own bikes, batteries, and chargers, making cheap or second-hand <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/proqc.com\/blog\/importing-e-bikes-from-china-recognizing-production-risks-and-improving-quality\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ebikes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and batteries appealing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reputable brands undergo extensive performance and safety testing to comply with <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ul.com\/services\/e-bikes-certification-testing-ul-2849\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UL solutions<\/span><\/a> <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ul.com\/services\/e-bikes-certification-testing-ul-2849\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UL 2849, the Standard for Electrical Systems for eBikes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. However, black market or cheap purchases may not include a certified Battery Management System that stops charging when a battery is full or overheating.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to David TenHouten, VP, of vehicle engineering at micromobility company <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bird.co\/\">Bird<\/a>, there\u2019s also an issue of how far an operator pushes the boundaries within the safe cell parameters.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vendors can push things right to the edge, or you can be a little conservative. Basically, if you\u2019re more aggressive, you can get more performance out of the cells and push them farther and get a little farther range, but you\u2019re getting into the risk boundaries at the edges.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The problem compounds with age as \u201cthese batteries are not getting any younger. They\u2019re actually just getting a lot older very quickly.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Charlie Welch, CEO of <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zapbatt.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Zapbatt<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, stresses that the problem is that manufacturers set specs for their cells that you\u2019re supposed to follow pretty strictly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Often with ebikes and escooters, everyone rides them like they stole them. It puts the cell in a worst-case scenario every day, like somebody jumps on it, guns at full power, then later puts it in a warehouse, fully charged, and lets it sit there all night. Which from a cell perspective is where it doesn\u2019t want to be.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Worse, riders may incorrectly convert <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=guvFqb4zgBg\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a regular bike to an ebike<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or follow a <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a> tutorial to <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=uJSzC_yGszQ\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">increase battery power or speed<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfortunately, cheap ebikes and repurposed bikes and chargers aren\u2019t the only culprits.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2015, Pedego recalled<\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cpsc.gov\/Recalls\/2015\/Pedego-Recalls-Electric-Bicycle-Batteries\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> every model they ever sold<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> due to battery fire potential.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1331639 js-lazy\" alt=\"a Specialized ebike lithium-ion \" width=\"1640\" height=\"859\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1640px) 100vw, 1640px\" https:=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2020\/12\/Specialized-Turbo-Vado-SL-8-of-9.jpg 1640w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2020\/12\/Specialized-Turbo-Vado-SL-8-of-9-280x147.jpg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2020\/12\/Specialized-Turbo-Vado-SL-8-of-9-515x270.jpg 515w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2020\/12\/Specialized-Turbo-Vado-SL-8-of-9-258x135.jpg 258w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2020\/12\/Specialized-Turbo-Vado-SL-8-of-9-796x417.jpg 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2020\/12\/Specialized-Turbo-Vado-SL-8-of-9-1592x834.jpg 1592w\"\/><figcaption><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fshift%2F2022%2F08%2F25%2Fthe-cause-of-lithium-ion-battery-fires-ebikes-escooters-new-york%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: Specialized\u00a0 has faced battery pack recalled due the lithium-ion vulnerabilities\" data-title=\"Share Specialized\u00a0 has faced battery pack recalled due the lithium-ion vulnerabilities on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share Specialized\u00a0 has faced battery pack recalled due the lithium-ion vulnerabilities on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"\/><\/a>Specialized\u00a0 has faced battery pack recalled due the lithium-ion vulnerabilities<\/figcaption><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1331639\" https:=\"\" alt=\"a Specialized ebike lithium-ion \" width=\"1640\" height=\"859\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2020\/12\/Specialized-Turbo-Vado-SL-8-of-9.jpg 1640w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2020\/12\/Specialized-Turbo-Vado-SL-8-of-9-280x147.jpg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2020\/12\/Specialized-Turbo-Vado-SL-8-of-9-515x270.jpg 515w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2020\/12\/Specialized-Turbo-Vado-SL-8-of-9-258x135.jpg 258w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2020\/12\/Specialized-Turbo-Vado-SL-8-of-9-796x417.jpg 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2020\/12\/Specialized-Turbo-Vado-SL-8-of-9-1592x834.jpg 1592w\"\/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Specialized Bicycle Components has recalled electric mountain bike battery packs <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cpsc.gov\/Recalls\/2021\/Specialized-Bicycle-Components-Recalls-Electric-Mountain-Bike-Battery-Packs-Due-to-Fire-and-Burn-Hazards-Recall-Alert\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">several times<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> due to fire hazards.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Santa Cruz Bicycles issued <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/unofficialnetworks.com\/2022\/05\/09\/e-bike-recall-santa-cruz\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a recall notice<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for Heckler 9 electric bikes sold between January and March 2022.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I spoke to Jim \u201cJimmy Mac\u201d McIlvain, a <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/jimmymacontwowheels.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">writer,<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> editor, and bike expert tracking ebike fires. He notes that:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cEstablished companies like Specialized, Santa Cruz, and Pedego stand behind their products. But the number of e-bike companies selling to US consumers is well over <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/jimmymacontwowheels.com\/just-how-many-e-bike-companies-are-there-anyway-youll-be-stunned\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">181 brands<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">! Brands you probably have never heard of.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If one of those brands ignites a catastrophic home or forest fire, they will simply vanish, leaving no recourse for the consumer or municipality.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To date, there is no evidence that fire brigades are tracking the make of ebike batteries or charges that catch fire.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to McIlvain, neither he nor his wife would charge their ebikes inside their home, noting, \u201cAnd if a battery were to be dropped or damaged, we would never use it again.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"So_what_is_New_York_City_doing_about_the_problem\"><\/span><strong>So what is New York City doing about the problem?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inner-city residents reap the benefits of the convenience of gig economy riders. Yet the city has made no effort to provide infrastructure like charging stations and secure places for storage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead, a lot of talk fails to get to the heart of the problem and acknowledge that micromobility as a movement is expanding rapidly with no sign of abating.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www1.nyc.gov\/site\/nycha\/index.page\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The New York Housing Authority<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> recently announced <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www1.nyc.gov\/assets\/nycha\/downloads\/pdf\/Notice-of-Prohibition-on%20E-bikes-and-Batteries-7-7-22.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a proposed change<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to government housing regulations that residents and their guests may not keep or charge ebikes or ebike batteries in apartments or common areas. This has the potential for illicit underground storage schemes (yes, with batteries all charging overnight) \u2014 this makes my head spin.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New York\u2019s Metropolitan Transport Authority (MTC) is<\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thecity.nyc\/2022\/8\/8\/23297150\/mta-permits-electric-bikes-scooters-subway?utm_source=substack&amp;utm_medium=email\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> considering<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> a ban on ebikes and escooters. This is despite the fact there have <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to date been no relating fires in the transport network.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Interestingly, New York Councilwoman Gale Brewer proposes<\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nydailynews.com\/opinion\/ny-oped-how-to-stop-the-next-e-bike-caused-fire-20220810-6gj3rf4f4vfvxa777gnbhj3vgq-story.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> legislation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to ban second-use or refurbished batteries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This won\u2019t do much to stop the fires caused by new store-bought ebikes. She also suggests that delivery posters and delivery apps should make riders aware of potential battery risks. She also sees a need for fireproof storage areas with charging ports (not sure who will pay for that).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brewer\u2019s most interesting idea is to call Congress to convene a hearing to push for federal legislation to hold battery manufacturers accountable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">McIlvain believes that it is inevitable that the government will need to step in, noting that \u201cthe toaster in my kitchen, the nightlight in the hallway, and all the power tools in the garage need to meet a federally recognized safety standard, so why don\u2019t ebikes?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What\u2019s clear is that micromoblity is rapidly gaining momentum, and this is a complex problem that requires a complex solution encompassing manufacturers, riders, delivery services, and city officials.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\n                        <\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/the-cause-of-lithium-ion-battery-fires-ebikes-escooters-new-york\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;What\u2019s causing all the ebike and escooter battery fires?&#8221; The City of New York is grappling with a problem \u2014 fire. Specifically, escooter and ebike lithium-ion batteries catch fire and sometimes explode. And there\u2019s no sign of it ending anytime soon. Earlier this year, I wrote an introductory article detailing the rate of lithium-ion battery&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":487693,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/img-cdn.tnwcdn.com\/image\/shift?filter_last=1&fit=1280,640&url=https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/08\/Untitled-design-11.png&signature=04ff63ac7bc87471a2fbe47f0309bd8b","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-487692","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/487692","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=487692"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/487692\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/487693"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=487692"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=487692"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=487692"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}