Battery breakdown

There is growing concern over the rise in fatalities, injuries and devastating fires from electric bikes (e-bikes) and electric scooters (e-scooters). Tragically, in the first three months of 2023 alone, fires from lithium-ion batteries used to power these devices had already taken four lives in the UK, left others hospitalised or seriously injured and caused extensive damage to property.

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What is the danger?

Lithium-ion batteries can pose a significant risk due to thermal runaway, which occurs when internal temperatures exceed safe limits. This can happen due to flawed design, low-quality components, or improper charging or discharging. If a fire occurs, it may reignite, making these fires particularly dangerous.

The primary risk associated with lithium-ion batteries is thermal runaway. Battery safety and stability depend on maintaining internal temperatures within specific limits. 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.

Battery breakdown is campaign that looks into the cause of these dangerous fires and provides recommendations for how safety can be improved. Download the report for free today.

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Battery breakdown is an extensive report that covers a number of issues and areas. Below are deep dives into specific topics covered in the report. 

Explore report deep dives

Battery safety campaign

We're campaigning to fix an urgent issue – the alarming rise in deaths and injuries resulting from fires and explosions caused by e-scooter and e-bike batteries. We need your support to put a stop to this dangerous trend. We're calling for Government intervention through our Battery Breakdown campaign.

Safer design

What design improvements can be made to e-bikes and e-scooters to improve the safety of these vehicles?

Safer use

For those that already own and use e-bikes and e-scooters what can they do to mitigate the risks? Find out more about our recommendations.

What is thermal runaway?

Why do e-bike and e-scooter batteries explode? Find out more about this chemical reaction and what makes it so dangerous.