Exploding E-Bikes: Lithium Battery Fires Spread in New York, California

Charred remains of e-bikes and scooters sit outside of a building in Chinatown in New York City on June 20, 2023. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Lithium-ion batteries have sparked hundreds of fires across New York and San Francisco this year, injuring dozens and resulting in the death of a few individuals, triggering worries about public safety.

In New York, the number of fires caused by lithium-ion batteries has “grown exponentially every year since 2021,” Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said on July 21 during a public safety briefing. “We are now, unfortunately, seeing more and more of these kinds of extremely fast-moving, very powerful fires with some regularity in the city. As of this week, there have been 131 fires, 76 injuries, and 13 deaths caused by these lithium-ion batteries.”

This is a significant jump from 2021, when there were 79 injuries and four deaths from such fires. In 2022, there were 142 injuries and six deaths. The 2023 death toll has already exceeded those of the past two years combined.

Multiple lithium-ion battery fires have made headlines this year. On Jan. 20, a 63-year-old man was killed and 10 more injured after a fire from a charging e-bike spread through a home in Queens.

In April, a teenager and a 7-year-old child died in a home, also in Queens, because of a fire that erupted from an e-bike. And on May 7, four people died from a lithium battery fire that blazed through an apartment building in Upper Manhattan.

Lithium fires are also becoming a problem in San Francisco. On July 17, two people had to jump out of an apartment in the Tenderloin neighborhood because of a fire believed to have been triggered by an overheated e-scooter battery—with one of them taken to a hospital suffering from serious injuries.

In an interview with The New York Times, Capt. Jonathan Baxter, a spokesperson for the San Francisco Fire Department, said that it was the 24th fire in the city this year that was linked to rechargeable batteries.

Since 2017, San Francisco has seen 202 battery fires, which injured eight people and killed one. Of these, 58 fires broke out in 2022, up from just 13 in 2017.

“We’re not seeing it to that same degree here in San Francisco,” Baxter said, referring to the surging lithium fire incidents in New York. “However, one fire is one too many.”

Lithium Fires in New York

Multiple reasons are cited for the surge in lithium fire incidents. Some point to hazardous charging practices such as the use of mismatched equipment to charge the devices and overcharging. Using damaged or refurbished batteries can also pose issues. Others blame a lack of proper safety testing and regulation.

Though lithium-ion batteries are also used in cellphones and computers, e-mobility devices pose a bigger threat as their lithium batteries tend to be larger and more susceptible to wear and tear.

Cheap e-bikes became popular in New York during the COVID-19 pandemic, when public transit was affected and orders for food deliveries surged. People who buy e-bikes usually charge these vehicles inside apartments, posing a significant risk to the residents.

Some landlords in New York have even banned e-bikes and other e-mobility devices.

In a March 20 press release, the City of New York stated: “Fires caused by batteries that power e-micromobility devices are a significant problem in New York City ... These fires are particularly severe and difficult to extinguish, spreading quickly and producing noxious fumes.”

Even as NYC Mayor Eric Adams promotes e-bikes as a “convenient transportation” option for New Yorkers, he said that faulty and illegal devices are making their way into homes and streets, triggering fires and “putting lives at risk.”

Lithium-ion batteries are also used in industrial settings. However, these setups are heavily regulated and subject to professional supervision. This isn’t the case with smaller lithium batteries used in e-bikes and other devices, and customers usually don’t completely understand the fire risks posed by such batteries.

Dealing With Lithium Battery Fires

To deal with the problem of lithium battery fires, the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) is recommending that citizens buy only lithium battery devices certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratory (UL).

When using batteries, the manufacturer’s charging and storage instructions must be adhered to. Batteries should be kept away from heat sources and anything flammable and must be stored at room temperature, FDNY advises.

People should avoid using aftermarket or generic batteries. They shouldn’t overcharge and should avoid leaving batteries charging overnight. When charging, batteries should be away from beds, pillows, and couches. FDNY advises that people never leave charging e-bikes unattended.

A New York City bill enacted in March will prohibit the sale, lease, or rental of e-bikes and other such mobility devices and their storage batteries that fail to meet certain safety standards. When the ban goes into effect in September, New York will be the first U.S. city to have such a law.

The bill requires that e-mobility devices be certified by an accredited testing laboratory for compliance with UL standards 2849, 2272, or similar safety standards set by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles in consultation with the fire department.

“The first violation of this law would be met with a warning, but subsequent violations would carry civil penalties of up to $1,000 per violating device,” the bill summary reads.