Enjoy your e-bike safely

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service reported that officers attended twice as many fires involving electric scooters in 2022 as in the previous year. One such incident in Southampton involved a family from Shirley who escaped with their lives when an e-scooter battery caught alight. Luckily, the smoke detector raised the alarm, but the bedroom was full of toxic smoke that would have been life-threatening.

If you own (or plan to buy) an e-bike or e-scooter make sure you keep your home and your family safe by following these simple safety guidelines from the fire service:

Charging and storing

• Always use the official charger that came with your product
• If you need to buy a replacement, always choose a branded, genuine product from a supplier you can trust. There are lots of fakes out there, and it can be difficult to spot the difference
• Avoid storing, using, or charging batteries at very high or low temperatures and keep your e-vehicle away from combustible or flammable materials
• Make sure plug sockets aren’t overloaded
• Don’t leave the device charging while you are asleep or away from home
• Never charge or store your e-bike or scooter in communal areas or stairwells (if you do it will be removed)

Buying

• Only buy from reputable dealers and register your product with the manufacturer to validate any warranties
• Check any products you have bought are not subject to a product recall by looking on the Electrical Safety First website or the government website

How to dispose of batteries

• Crashes and even small bumps on your e-bike or e-scooter may damage the battery which could lead to it overheating and catching fire without warning. It’s important to check your battery regularly for any signs of damage
• If you need to dispose of a damaged or end of life battery, take it to the Household Waste Recycling Centre in First Avenue, Southampton. Please do not put it in your household waste

Remember, not all personal electric vehicles are road legal which means you could face a fine from the police if you ride yours on the road. Check where you are legally allowed to ride your vehicle before taking it out.