Electric bikes, or more specifically their batteries, have been attracting plenty of negative publicity recently, but a campaign has been launched to put the record straight and help consumers make safer electric bike purchases.
Ebikes have been the subject of a plethora of media reports concerning their safety, following incidents of spontaneous combustion and house fires caused by faulty batteries.
Such attention is largely undeserved, though, with the problem due to a small number of rogue products, often bought online from non-reputable sources.
A new campaign, called E-Bike Positive, is aiming to put the record straight and help consumers make safer electric bike purchases. It's also setting out to encourage the UK government to improve consumer protection for ebike purchasers and promote the health, economic and environmental benefits of electric bikes.
Battery concerns are deterring buyers
A survey, carried out by the Electric Bike Alliance, suggests concerns over ebike battery safety are putting potential riders off buying an electric bike. It found 23 per cent of UK adults are deterred from buying an ebike by reports of ebike battery fires.
The E-Bike Positive campaign says many staff at bike shops have reported battery fires as an issue raised by prospective ebike buyers.
However, the primary cause of battery fires, the campaign says, is low-quality products, including aftermarket batteries and chargers and ebike conversion kits bought, often online, from resellers and unreliable sources.
Three-pronged approach
The E-Bike Positive campaign links cycling-industry trade bodies, bike brands, local bike shops and UK charities, with the objective of boosting consumer knowledge on battery safety and promoting the use of ebikes and driving electric bike purchases.
There are three threads to the campaign, aimed at helping buyers to identify electric bikes that are high-quality and UK-legal.
First is extra assurance via a new scheme to label electric bikes and batteries that have been safety tested and highlight brands selling high-quality electric bikes.
Second is expert support offered by bike shops, with an increasing number signing a pledge to advertise, sell and repair only electric bikes that are UK-legal and have been safety checked. The campaign is encouraging more retailers to sign up to the pledge.
Third, the campaign is developing educational resources including battery safety guides and independent advice for buyers of ebikes.
The campaign’s backers highlight the wide-ranging benefits of electric bikes and aim to allay battery safety concerns.
“When purchased from reputable manufacturers, e-cycles are very safe. That’s why we’re supporting this education campaign alongside Cycling UK's ongoing calls for the UK government to make e-cycles more accessible,” says Sarah McMonagle, director of external affairs at Cycling UK.
