The UK experienced a record 211 fires involving ebikes and e-scooters in 2024, prompting renewed warnings about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries. The London Fire Brigade highlighted these vehicles, especially modified ones, as a growing fire risk, with 175 incidents in London alone. These fires led to eight deaths in 2024, often occurring indoors. The government is exploring regulatory changes and promoting a "Buy Safe, Be Safe" campaign, but a new bill has been criticized for not directly addressing lithium-ion battery risks.
Record number of ebike fires in UK prompts renewed risk warnings
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️The UK experienced a record 211 fires involving ebikes and e-scooters in 2024, prompting renewed warnings about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries. The London Fire Brigade highlighted these vehicles, especially modified ones, as a growing fire risk, with 175 incidents in London alone. These fires led to eight deaths in 2024, often occurring indoors. The government is exploring regulatory changes and promoting a "Buy Safe, Be Safe" campaign, but a new bill has been criticized for not directly addressing lithium-ion battery risks.
Trending- 1 2017: 2 ebike/e-scooter fires recorded.
- 2 2022: 207 ebike/e-scooter fires recorded.
- 3 December (past): Coroner warns of dangers after Luke Albiston O’Donnell's death.
- 4 2024: Record 211 ebike/e-scooter fires recorded, leading to 8 deaths.
- 5 Recent days: London sees a spate of ebike/e-scooter fires.
- 6 Ongoing: UK government introduces new legislation and explores regulatory changes; OPSS works to remove unsafe products; "Buy Safe, Be Safe" campaign promoted.
- Record number of fires
- 8 deaths in 2024
- Property damage
- Increased public safety warnings
- Calls for stronger regulation
- Government exploring regulatory changes and promoting safe purchasing
What: A record number of fires (211) involving ebikes and e-scooters occurred in the UK in 2024, leading to renewed warnings about lithium-ion battery dangers and calls for stronger regulation.
When: 2024 (record number of fires, 8 deaths), 2022 (207 incidents), 2017 (2 incidents), December (coroner's warning), recent days (spate of fires in London).
Where: United Kingdom, London, Battersea, Hackney, Merseyside, Coventry.
Why: Lithium-ion batteries in ebikes and e-scooters, especially modified ones, pose a significant fire risk due to degradation, overheating, or short circuits.
How: Fire services responded to incidents; London Fire Brigade issued warnings; a coroner warned about indoor charging; the UK government introduced new legislation and backed a public safety campaign ("Buy Safe, Be Safe").