Battery Breakdown e-bike fire safety campaign: where are we two years on?

Two years ago, in July 2023, Electrical Safety First published a first-of-its-kind report into the growing number of lithium-ion battery fires linked to substandard e-bikes and e-scooters. The research not only laid bare the scale of the problem but also made urgent recommendations to address it. Since then, fires involving lithium-ion batteries have continued to rise, claiming the lives of at least 13 people since 2020 and injuring hundreds more.

As the UK embraces greener, more accessible modes of transport, this issue has become a critical public safety concern. The speed at which these products have flooded the market, particularly via unregulated third-party sellers on online marketplaces, has far outpaced the regulations designed to protect consumers. That’s why we launched our Battery Breakdown campaign, calling for new product safety laws to regulate e-bikes, e-scooters and their batteries. Two years on, the fight is far from over, but significant progress is being made that gives hope that new laws may go some way to tackle the issue in the near future.

Lesley Rudd: "Too many dangerous products are slipping through the cracks."

Product Regulation and Metrology Bill

Our campaign has been pivotal to securing the introduction of the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill (PRAM). Its introduction, which was announced during the King’s Speech under this new Government, was a milestone moment confirming the scope of the Bill would cover the fire risks from e-bikes.

But it’s essential this Bill tackles the issue adequately, or else substandard versions of these devices risk continuing to enter homes across the country, causing deadly fires that continue to claim lives.

This Bill, if robust enough, has the potential to be one of the most significant pieces of consumer safety legislation we have seen in a generation. The Bill, soon to finish its journey through Parliament, offers the opportunity to strengthen protections against products that pose risks to public health and safety if they are substandard – such as e-bikes, e-scooters and their batteries.

The lack of regulations governing this sector has allowed for cheaper, poorly made devices, often sold online via third party sellers, to infect the market and put the public at risk. We are committed to addressing this lack of regulations through this Bill and we are urging the Government to introduce new laws that would introduce third-party conformity assessment for e-bikes, e-scooters and their batteries.

Right now, too many dangerous products are slipping through the cracks, particularly via online marketplaces, where weak regulation fails to hold platforms accountable for the products sold by third-party sellers. Because of this we frequently find products that pose a serious risk to buyers freely available for sale online.

These substandard products have had a life-changing impact on people across the country, including members of the public who we continue to have the privilege to campaign alongside. Fathers, who have lost their children and partners to these fires. Siblings who have had to say goodbye to their sister too soon, as a result of substandard batteries. And mothers who are grieving the loss of their child at the hands of these fires.

We cannot accept anything less than real and effective change to end the loss of life we continue to see.

"We urge the Government for strong, timely and enforceable regulation that reflects the real and growing danger posed by substandard lithium-ion batteries." Photograph: iStock

Wide support

Our campaign has continued to gain massive support, across all sectors of industry – from the emergency services, to insurance groups, major fire and rescue services and local councils, as well as e-bike and conversion kit manufacturers, who recognise the benefits new laws will bring to both consumers and those reputable operators in the industry.

Early on in our campaign we were pleased to receive the support of Britain’s biggest volume bike manufacturer, Brompton, and most recently the formal backing of the UK’s second largest fire service, West Midlands Fire Service. The support of more than 100 organisations across the country, including the London Fire Brigade and e-bike hire firm Zoomo, is a powerful collective voice that together, is impossible to ignore. What has been achieved so far?

The Bill now includes explicit reference to “high-risk products”, a step forward in recognising the dangers posed by devices like e-bikes and e-scooters. While the Bill still does not name lithium-ion batteries directly, the Government has provided assurances that they will be addressed via secondary legislation after the Bill receives Royal Assent and it is here we will continue to fight for our proposals to be adopted.

We at Electrical Safety First have also worked closely with a coalition of other product safety organisations to improve the online marketplace provisions in the Bill. This work has led to the tightening of the definition and scope of an online marketplace.

However, key recommendations of the Battery Breakdown campaign remain outstanding. Specific liability for online marketplaces - ensuring they are held accountable for the safety of products sold on their platforms - has not yet been addressed. Nor has the inclusion of clear standards for conversion kits or improvements to the standards for charging systems.

While these areas are expected to be addressed in forthcoming secondary legislation, without firm commitments on timelines and scope, there is a risk that vital protections could be delayed or diluted.

Looking ahead

While we’re very encouraged the Government has introduced the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, which gives powers to tackle e-bike battery fires, it is vital that this legislation is robust enough to tackle this issue head on.

Electrical Safety First will continue to urge the Government for strong, timely and enforceable regulation that reflects the real and growing danger posed by substandard lithium-ion batteries. The Product Regulation and Metrology Bill is a golden opportunity to change that – and to turn the tide on these preventable fires as we continue to do all we can to prevent further heartbreak for more families who may otherwise be victims in the future.

For more information on the Battery Breakdown campaign go to:
electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/battery-breakdown

Lesley Rudd is Chief executive at Electrical Safety First