E-Bike Explosions Could Spew Toxic White Smoke and Potentially Fatal Fumes; Survey Finds 1 in 5 Owners Didn't Know They Were Using Incompatible Chargers

(Photo : Unsplash / Markus Spiske)

E-bikes have recently been gaining traction as they rely on renewable electricity instead of fossil fuels. As such, a recent survey has uncovered how some e-bike owners may be far from safety due to them not knowing that they're using incompatible chargers.

E-bike Explosion

When an e-bike explodes, its battery bursts into flames and spews out toxic white smoke. Because of the ferocity of such flames, this incident can be fatal, especially to those within close proximity.

Electricity experts say that an explosion from an e-bike battery can destroy a room in just a few minutes. The risks only get worse as the Electric Safety First charity conducted a survey which revealed a lot of people were using incompatible chargers.

The survey questioned 430 individuals and found that 43% of them used a charger that didn't officially come with their bike or scooter. Because of this, there is a risk that the device might not match its battery's voltage.

The survey discovered that one in three owners knew that the charger they were using was incompatible. However, a fifth of participants said that they weren't aware that they were connecting and using incompatible chargers.

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Incompatible Charger Dangers

Safety experts are warning of the risks that come from using incompatible chargers highlighting how they're capable of supplying the battery with excessive voltage, which can result in thermal runaway, which can be extremely dangerous to those around.

Thermal runaway happens when the heat inside the battery exceeds the amount it dissipates around. Excessive heat causes a risk of explosion because of stored chemical energy being released.

The Electrical Safety First charity has long called for universal chargers to be banned since this places e-bike and e-scooter batteries at risk because of how multiple outlets can be connected to different batteries.

Risks of Incompatible Chargers

Giuseppe Capanna of Electrical Safety First says that an e-bike and e-scooter battery are at great risk when it's charged incorrectly. He says that the risk of fire is significantly higher because of instability and because of the large amount of energy stored.

Capanna also highlights the importance of only using compatible chargers, saying the results could be fatal. He also suggested using chargers that came with the device and whenever charging, it's also critical not to block the exit.

The survey also showed poor charging habits for users, saying 52% of them admittedly left their devices charging overnight while sleeping. An alarming 28% of them also said that they charged their device inside their homes, mostly in the hallway.

Even more alarming, 14% of participants said they charge their e-bike or e-scooter in their bedroom. Electrical Safety First suggests that owners should charge their devices away from any important escape routes if a fire breaks out.

There have already been reports of deaths related to e-bikes exploding including Sofia Duarte, who died on New Year's Day when her home exploded. Along with her were a mother and two children who lost their lives as a result of e-bike charging.