FDNY calls for crackdown on lithium batteries in e-bikes, ban for universal batteries

The FDNY is asking the Consumer Product Safety Commission to crack down on e-bikes that use lithium batteries in New York City.

News 12 Staff

Feb 14, 2023, 5:49 PM

Updated 597 days ago

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The FDNY is asking the Consumer Product Safety Commission to crack down on e-bikes that use lithium batteries in New York City.
FDNY Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said in a letter that there have been 22 lithium battery-related fires in 2023. The biggest jump was from 2020, when 44 lithium battery fires were reported, to 2021, when a total of 104 fires were reported. Those 2021 numbers doubled in 2022 with 216 lithium battery fires.
The letter calls to punish manufacturers who do not warn consumers of the hazards. It also calls for a ban on universal batteries, which are used to be interchangeable batteries for different products and e-bikes. The FDNY says universal batteries need to be made for specific products so that they cannot be remade or refurbished by illegal sellers.
This comes just as a Brooklyn home was engulfed in flames Tuesday morning in Bushwick. Officials say electronic mobility devices were located at the scene, but it is unclear if they were the cause or involved with the fire.