Is your e-bike safe? How to avoid dangerous e-bike batteries

Are e-bike owners playing with fire every time they plug in for a top up?

image of ebike battery and fire engine
(Image credit: Getty Images)

“Searching for the trapped woman we were met with multiple explosions from the lithium-ion battery packs. The fire was everywhere, there were hot spots all over the ceiling and the temperature was so intense I could feel it through my gloves.”

As the owner of an e-bike, this horrific testimony from London firefighter Paul Fergus gets my full attention. We have two e-bikes in our household, my wife’s Liv Vall E+ Pro and my Specialized Creo. Both are kept in the house, though we’re nervous about charging them unattended. Is our caution justified? After all, even the UK Department for Transport’s latest guidance on e-bike safety concedes that all lithium batteries pose some risk.  

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