Fears of e-bike fires putting people off buying them
E-bike and e-scooter fires reached a record high last year.
Concerns over battery fires are holding back widespread adoption of e-bikes, a new survey suggests.
The survey commissioned by BatteryIQ – a company which provides a lithium-ion battery monitoring system – indicated that 37% of UK adults are interested in owning an e-bike, with 87% of this group stating they would use one to replace some car journeys.
But more than four out of five (81%) respondents said e-bike fires reported in the media put them off from making a purchase.
A recent investigation by the Press Association found e-bike and e-scooter fires reached a record high last year.
Figures from fire brigades across the UK show the number of incidents recorded in 2025 were 432 for e-bikes and 147 for e-scooters.
Spread rapidly
Fires involving lithium batteries used for e-bikes and e-scooters can spread rapidly and produce a toxic vapour.
Eden Abera Siem, 30, died in hospital after being rescued by firefighters when a blaze, which investigators found was probably caused by the failure of a charging e-bike battery, broke out at her home in Wood Green, north London on June 21 last year.
Nick Bailey of BatteryIQ said e-bike batteries involved in fires are “generally low cost, low quality products lacking basic safety protection, or are bodged together DIY batteries using non-branded cheap components from online marketplaces”.
He added that mandating real time battery monitoring technology would “dramatically reduce risk and unlock a major shift toward cleaner, healthier transport”.
E-bikes make it easier for people to cycle as they have a battery-powered electric motor providing assistance during pedalling.
Under UK law, their motors must cut out when a speed of 15.5mph is reached, but police have confiscated many that have been modified to travel much faster.
The survey of 2,000 UK adults was conducted by research company One Poll between March 5-11.