Charity calls for universal charger ban after Cambridge e-bike fire
It's part of a government Bill put forward by Electrical Safety First
Last updated 3rd Nov 2023
A charity's telling us a temporary ban on the sale of universal chargers for e-bikes and e-scooters should be in place for several months.
Electrical Safety First (ESF) also backs Cambridgeshire Fire service's calls for a law change on chargers to prevent fires, including in Cambridge which killed a mother and two children.
ESF has called for the move as part of a government Bill it's put forward, which it hopes will win the support of MPs.
But the ban would only be in place until what ESF says "measures are put in place that ensure the safe compatibility of batteries and chargers".
Giuseppe Capanna is a product safety engineer at the charity:
"It does take time to put protocols in place and luckily, there are standards that deal with these things but that would need to be looked at by a committee to make sure we have the correct system in place," he said.
"It's not easy (to change the law) but it's one thing we need; we cannot carry on with people dying and fires happening."
What is the government Bill ESF are putting forward?
The “Safety of Electric-Powered Micromobility Vehicles and Lithium Batteries Bill”, will be put to MPs selected in Westminster’s annual Bill Ballot draw on November 16.
ESF says the Bill would propose "sweeping, but essential, changes to how e-bikes, e-scooters and their batteries are regulated across the whole of the UK" and help prevent future deaths.
The charity reported nine deaths in the UK this year relating to e-bike and e-scooter fires, and says 150 MPs have had a fire linked to these vehicles in their constituency since 2020.
There are three main changes ESF wants to make if the Bill is backed by MPs:
- Mandate e-bikes, e-scooters and their batteries to undergo third party approval before coming to market – regulating them in the same way as fireworks;
- Impose a temporary ban on the sale of ‘universal chargers’ until measures are put in place that ensure the safe compatibility of batteries and chargers;
- Introduce clearer markings on lithium-ion batteries to make it clearer to households that they are not suitable to be disposed of in the general waste;
- Introducing a communications protocol to ensure the battery and charger can talk, similar to mobile phones, to reduce the risk of fires due to overcharging from incorrect voltage.
"If they need a replacement, go back to the manufacturer"
[Cambridgeshire Fire Service has written to the coroner](https://planetradio.co.uk/greatest-hits/cambridgeshire/news/cambridgeshire-fire-e-bike-regulations/){:target=_blank}, calling for better regulation of online sales for chargers.
The service raised concern "relating to conversion kits and charges that can be used or incorrectly matched with battery packs, increasing the risk of fires".
It also wants more people to be educated on safely using private light electric vehicles in the home
Mr Cappana added: "We would want a temporary ban on universal chargers and encourage people only to use the charger that come with the battery, e-bike or e-scooter and if they need a replacement battery or charger, go back to the original manufacturer."