Fire Safety: Electric Bikes & Scooters

Lithium-ion battery technology has many advantages across a range of products - however - it provides unique fire safety challenges that must be considered as the technology becomes more commonplace, particularly in larger products. The energy expelled in failed lithium-ion batteries can lead to particularly intense fires in the home. When this happens, there is an immediate and increased risk to people, including firefighters and property.

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service is seeing a growing number of fires caused by the failure of lithium-ion batteries, particularly in personal vehicles such as e-bikes and e-scooters. While these modes of transport can provide a cheaper, more sustainable mode of transport, fires involving e-bikes and e-scooters can be dangerous given the size of the batteries involved and the fact that they often take place whilst charging in people's homes.

On average, during 2022/23, MFRS were called to an e-bike or e-scooter fire every two weeks. In the same period, there were five injuries and, very sadly, two fatalities - directly related to fires in the home involving e-bikes.