Dorset E-bike owners urged to avoid dangerous batteries and chargers
Lithium-ion batteries have led to 11 deaths across the UK
An electrical safety charity is calling for tighter regulation on e-bike and e-scooter batteries to prevent substandard batteries getting into our homes.
Since 2020, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has dealt with 11 fires they believe to be connected to e-bikes and e-scooters.
The calls for stricter rules come from Electrical Safety First, after 11 lives were lost to e-bike fires, while hundreds more suffered injuries.
In 2023, the charity published it's first report into the dangers posed by lithium-ion batteries.
It outlined the risk of thermal runaway, where internal temperatures rise beyond safe limits.
The report stated: "Poor quality and substandard components, flawed design, physical abuse and improper charging or discharging can all cause a battery to become thermally unstable and can lead to catastrophic failure.
"Even if a fire is extinguished, it is common for the fire to start again, highlighting the dynamic nature of lithium-ion battery fires."
The full report can be seen here.
'These products haven't been tested'
One of the charity's safety engineer's, Giuseppe Capanna, told Greatest Hits Radio they're seeing a rise of substandard products entering the UK.
"These are products that haven't been through the proper testing and the thing with lithium ion batteries is they pack an enormous amount of energy in a really tight space.
"So when things go wrong, the fires can be really devastating," Mr Capanna said.
He's urging anyone buying an e-bike or e-scooter, and those who already own one, to always buy from a reputable manufacturer.
Mr Capanna advised not over charging the batteries, as this can lead to thermal runaway, adding that using the correct charger is crucial.
He said: "If you need to replace that battery or the charger, make sure you go back to the original manufacturer and don't try and replace it with a charger from an online marketplace.
"We found last year about 60 noncompliant and dangerous charges in one day on online marketplace."
He said this raised two concerns, firstly that they were non-compliant and unsafe, as well as the fact that many are sold with a variety of connectors, which heightens the risk of the battery and the voltages not being compatible.