Fires connected to e-bike batteries spike in Toronto amid increased use

As more people embrace e-bikes and other electric modes of transportation as a new way to get around Toronto’s streets, Sweet Pete’s Bike Shop on Bloor Street has seen demand accelerate.

“These days it’s probably about 20-40 per cent of our business,” sales manager Brent Robinson told CityNews of the e-biking boom. “One of the biggest things is just they’re more fun. Having that little extra boost allows you to go further and faster with less effort.”

But the same batteries giving riders more oomph when they pedal are an emerging fire risk in the city.

“We’ve had quite a big increase in lithium-ion battery fires in Toronto,” said Larry Cocco, deputy chief with Toronto Fire Services. “We are seeing a lot of failures.”

Fires are uniquely ‘volatile’

Lithium-ion batteries give us a lot of a charge in a very small package. The biggest risk is thermal runaway, the rapid self-heating of a cell causing batteries to explode into flames that can engulf an entire building with little warning.

“The fire is rapid. It’s not minutes, it’s seconds and at that point, the hot gas discharged encompasses the entire room. You will not survive that environment,” Cocco warned.

Batteries from electric bikes, scooters, vehicles, and even household devices have sparked 33 fires in Toronto so far this year. That’s compared to 29 incidents during all of last year.

While a lack of regulation exists, Cocco noted it’s nearly impossible to keep batteries of questionable safety off the market.

“You can buy almost anything online and it’s very difficult to regulate the supply and selling of devices,” he said. “Part of the equation is ensuring the public is made aware.”

How to protect yourself

Most fires happen in the charging state. For example, overcharging the batteries or modifying the charging system. And as Cocco cautions, you get what you pay for. “Buying something that’s cheaper is not always better.”

Robinson suggests buying devices that are certified under the safety standards recommended by Underwriter Laboratories, an independent product safety testing, certification and inspection organization.

Look for their symbol, comprised of the letters ‘UL’ in a circle, on the product box, label or manual. As for the warning signs of a faulty battery in an e-bike, he said you want to look out for a sudden drop in capacity.

“If all of a sudden, you’re seeing much less range. If the battery is becoming hot in any way, if you notice any temperature change or if there’s anything happening wrong with the display, that’s a really good indication to stop riding.”

If you currently use a lithium-ion battery-powered device, there are more safety guidelines on the City of Toronto website.