An Australian research group, EV FireSafe, has released data showing that nearly 100 people have been injured and over 50 fires have been caused by electric bikes, e-scooters, e-skateboards and hoverboards in less than three months. This comes after an e-bike explosion in New South Wales forced a man to jump from a second-storey window to escape a blaze that started in his garage. Experts predict that battery fires and explosions from lightweight electric vehicles will “get a lot worse” unless new regulations and training are introduced to govern use and sale.
EV FireSafe CEO, Emma Sutcliffe, stated that the group had verified 57 serious incidents caused by micro-mobility vehicles since January, injuring 97 people and causing eight deaths worldwide. Thirteen incidents had occurred in Australia in 2023, in which 13 people were injured. Sutcliffe attributed this risk to lightweight electric vehicles coming to the market without sufficient safety features and low-quality battery cells and management systems.
UNSW Sydney associate professor, Matthew Priestley, warned that these fires are particularly dangerous due to sudden occurrence, difficulty in extinguishing, and the formation of toxic vapors. Priestley is designing a lithium-ion battery training course for tradespeople and calls for new rules governing the importation, approval and use of batteries, as well as regulations for storage or recycling.
Sutcliffe advises users of electric bikes, scooters and skateboards to charge their vehicles outside homes using an original charger only, for as long as necessary, and avoid leaving them plugged in overnight or with damaged or wet batteries. More than 40 million light electric vehicles are expected to be sold worldwide in 2023, and swift action is needed to address these risks. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is expected to release a report on lithium-ion battery risks later this year.