E Bikes exploding

[Fordup]

Just saw this and it's scary how poorly many of the ebike battery packs are made. They can actually kill you.
https://www.foxnews.com/tech/how-e-bikes-exploding-killing-people
Sounds like NY will ban ebikes till something is done.

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[AzScorpion]

Just saw this and it's scary how poorly many of the ebike battery packs are made. They can actually kill you.
https://www.foxnews.com/tech/how-e-bikes-exploding-killing-people
Sounds like NY will ban ebikes till something is done.

I didn't read through the whole article yet (one of my many bad habits) but I wonder if it's like when the hover boards or whatever they're called were catching on fire? This seems very serious and now just a few isolated cases.

In 2022, these bikes were the cause of the fourth most fire deaths, according to the FDNY.  And in 2023, there have already been 15 lithium-ion battery-related fires, with one person dead and up to 25 injured.

The thing about lithium-ion batteries is that the fires they cause differ from normal fires, which is why they have killed so many.

The flames spread much faster and will catch any combustible item within seconds. The batteries cannot be extinguished with water or foam because it can cause a reaction and increase the fire.

Firefighters must use extinguishers explicitly designed for lithium battery fires which contain dry powder, which absorbs the heat and smothers the fire. Compounding the problem with these fires is that they release toxic gases, which pose an extra level of danger.

 

[Dereku]

Sounds like gas is safer. Or the real benefits of EVs is it kills the end user. Less people better environment. Tin foil hat in full display here.

 

[mtbikernate]

Sounds like gas is safer. Or the real benefits of EVs is it kills the end user. Less people better environment. Tin foil hat in full display here.

EV batteries are not exactly comparable with the cheap batteries in ebikes.

further, the biggest culprits, from what I've seen, are the cheap ebikes and ebike kits sold mostly online. less battery protection, shit chargers, poor quality control, and so on.

 

[Fordup]

EV batteries are not exactly comparable with the cheap batteries in ebikes.

further, the biggest culprits, from what I've seen, are the cheap ebikes and ebike kits sold mostly online. less battery protection, shit chargers, poor quality control, and so on.

I don't know, look at the recent F150 and Tesla fires. They don't happen often but when they do it's a a dangerous fire to fight. Wait till the number of EVs increases and battery cells age for a real comparison. Some of that new pouch battery technology is real dangerous if punctured also. Time will tell.

 

[AzScorpion]

I don't know, look at the recent F150 and Tesla fires. They don't happen often but when they do it's a a dangerous fire to fight. Wait till the number of EVs increases and battery cells age for a real comparison. Some of that new pouch battery technology is real dangerous if punctured also. Time will tell.

True there's not a huge amount of EV's out there now but Tesla has had them out and a great deal of them for a while now. I "think" based off their sales we can see this isn't something that happens a lot. Plus once there's more EV's out on the roads there will be more data reported so we can see if this is a normal failure rate. Now if we start seeing a lot more fires and explosions then "Houston we have a problem"! ??

 

[mtbikernate]

I don't know, look at the recent F150 and Tesla fires. They don't happen often but when they do it's a a dangerous fire to fight. Wait till the number of EVs increases and battery cells age for a real comparison. Some of that new pouch battery technology is real dangerous if punctured also. Time will tell.

Oh, I'm not denying that battery fires are gnarly.

I'm just saying that EV batteries tend to be less likely to erupt in flames than your cheap POS ebike batteries. EV battery fires seem to make the news EVERY TIME they happen. Ebike battery fires were there years ago, but now, they have kinda blended into the background. Now when it comes to ebike battery fires, they're such a known entity (especially by insurance providers), MANY apartments have banned them from inside the buildings because of that fire risk.

Think of how many small LiIon battery recalls there have been over the years. Hoverboards, phone batteries, laptop batteries, the list goes on and on. EV manufacturers are doing many things to cut the chances of fires. Not every manufacturer is doing the same stuff, but we're seeing adjustments to battery chemistry, cooling tech, increasingly smart charging and discharging controls, all steps that improve safety, but also durability/lifespan of these batteries. In cars, they're so much bigger and more expensive that the relative value of taking those steps is a good bit more important.

 

[9zero1790]

Just saw this and it's scary how poorly many of the ebike battery packs are made. They can actually kill you.
https://www.foxnews.com/tech/how-e-bikes-exploding-killing-people
Sounds like NY will ban ebikes till something is done.

wow. sad. i see so many of them around town too.
blown up on an ev bike is a sad way to go out... if it was a harley or chopper at least they would have some dignity...

 

[SemperVee]

Have 4 ebikes from RAD and never had a problem... Love 'em!

 

[Sanctus Rimor]

The problem is the cheaply made ebiles,and the less reputable companies that are trying to skirt the regulations.

And this: "... such as a bill that would legally make people have to charge their batteries outside their homes. "

Won't really do any good. I charge my bike outside...on my deck. That won't save my house. Anyone that does charge "outside the home" will likely do the same, or in a carport or garage. There's pretty much always going to be some sort 9f structure around. What about NYC apartment dwellers? Good luck with that. Not to mention, it's nearly wholly unenforceable.

 

[mtbikernate]

The problem is the cheaply made ebiles,and the less reputable companies that are trying to skirt the regulations.

And this: "... such as a bill that would legally make people have to charge their batteries outside their homes. "

Won't really do any good. I charge my bike outside...on my deck. That won't save my house. Anyone that does charge "outside the home" will likely do the same, or in a carport or garage. There's pretty much always going to be some sort 9f structure around. What about NYC apartment dwellers? Good luck with that. Not to mention, it's nearly wholly unenforceable.

It's becoming increasingly common for apartment complexes to ban ebikes inside because of insurance risks, anyway.

Charging outside can be a real problem for bicycles, anyway. Bicycles of all kinds are a lot less resistant to the weather than cars, so leaving them totally exposed to the elements is a bad idea, also. You're going to be replacing a lot of parts that simply can't hold up to that kind of sustained exposure to the weather.

Which means some sort of roof/cover is necessary. How far away from the structure does it need to be, as well? Are ppl going to need to build a covered ebike port with power hookups to charge their ebikes? That kind of thing is going to cost several times as much as the ebike itself.

I think that more targeted prohibitions and education are a better idea. And attack it from the insurance angle instead. Target the cheap garbage that attempts to skirt safety standards, but not the higher quality name brand stuff. For apartments, provide safe, secure, ground level parking and charging areas for ppl with ebikes. Nobody wants to lug a heavy ebike up many flights of stairs or cram it into a little elevator, anyway.

 

[Grumpaw]

Charge the battery outside...in the bed of your Lightning !!! If it can power a home, it can charge that battery.
Or, charge it from your Ram EV, when it runs down, charge the truck with the on-board gas genny, so you cam keep charging the e-bike battery.
Do it all outside so no danger to the house !!!
All very simple if you use the old head noodle !!!

 

[Bsthroop]

Have 4 ebikes from RAD and never had a problem... Love 'em!

Yes I have 2 Rads as well for 4 years but I think they are better quality than most.

 

[OrangeStreak]

Regular bikes are safe...

 

[mtbikernate]

Regular bikes are safe...

at least he didn't have eggs in that grocery bag!

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