Making E-Batteries Safer

People ask us all the time about what E-Bikes to get, and we tell them “It’s the wild west out there right now!” And as we’ve always said for any kind of bikes, “Be careful what you buy on the internet.” It seems there are more new E-bike and E-mobility companies popping every week, and not all of them are selling quality products.  While some of them are offering pretty decent bikes for the money, many others are selling junk that’s just going to break down, and maybe even set your house on fire.

Fire officials in New York City report that in 2022, there were 5 times as many structure fires caused by faulty lithium-ion battery systems as in 2020, resulting in 10 deaths and 226 injuries during that time. This year, there have already been 2 deaths and 40 more injuries. FDNY asked the City Council to do something about it, and NYC has delivered! Mayor Eric Adams recently signed into law a package of safety regulations designed to reel in some of the “wild-west” products that are out there, in hopes of increasing public safety. The most notable restriction is that batteries and chargers will have to meet UL standards, just like other electrical appliances do. That doesn’t seem like much to ask, right? But a huge number of low budget e-mobility products simply don’t. The new laws also limit the reconditioning and reassembly of batteries for commercial sale, and establish safety education and monitoring programs.

We agree that low prices can be attractive, but if it looks good to be true, it probably is! Buying your e-bike products from recognized brand names might cost a little bit more up front, but we assure you that it’s worth it. You really do get what you pay for, and that includes performance, reliability, and yes, even safety.