Westminster

Addressing the growing fire risks posed by substandard lithium-ion batteries and chargers for e-bikes and e-scooters, as well as conversion kits. Incidents have risen sharply in recent years with e-bike and e-scooter fires caused by battery failures linked to deaths, serious injuries, and extensive property damage.  

Online marketplaces are a key channel for these unsafe products. Many consumers cannot tell whether they are buying directly from the platform or from a third-party seller. Buyers may assume the platform has vetted the product. Poor oversight of online marketplaces also means bad actors profit from dangerous products.

E-bike conversion kits allow a traditional bicycle to be converted into an electric bike and are popular with people looking to save money or upgrade their bike. These kits (often including batteries and chargers) are widely sold on online marketplaces where low-cost, third-party sellers thrive. But many products are substandard and pose serious fire and safety risks.

Uncertified or fake certifications are used to make products appear trustworthy. This misleads buyers and results in dangerous, non-compliant products reaching homes. Third-party certification would independently verify a product as meeting established safety and quality standards.

Many are unaware of the risks in the disposal of lithium-ion batteries and collection systems are often inconvenient, limited to small batteries, or located out of town. Larger batteries from e-bikes, e-scooters, and other devices frequently end up in general waste or mixed recycling, where they can ignite or explode when damaged, crushed, or improperly stored.

Our Asks 

• A clear duty and extended liability for online marketplaces, especially for third-party sales, to close regulatory gaps, ensuring accountability and consumer protection. 
• The same level of accountability and consumer protection online as exists in high-street shops, with no loopholes, and no exceptions.
• Safety standards for conversion kits and stricter charger regulations to prevent unsafe battery systems and reduce fire risk from overcharging. 
• Third-party certification for all e-bike and e-scooter batteries before they enter the UK market to align them with other high-risk products like heavy machinery and fireworks. 
• Stronger regulations on battery disposal and safety information to reduce fires in waste sites and bin lorries while ensuring healthcare professionals can respond effectively to chemical exposure.

As the UK shifts towards net zero, rising electricity use and the adoption of low-carbon technologies means our ageing housing stock needs attention, and we will need a more specialised and qualified installer workforce.

Currently a disjointed regulatory landscape exposes households to higher electrical risks. In England, safety regulations apply to rented homes but not to short-term lets. Those in the owner-occupied sector, housing many vulnerable people – particularly the elderly – also suffer from fragmented protections.

The journey to net zero is reliant on electrical safety, however its pivotal role is often overlooked. These steps move us towards that goal:

• End the tenure lottery in electrical safety by ensuring all UK nations have mandatory EICRs every five years in private, social and short-term rented sectors, and at pinch points in owner-occupied homes.
• Establish targeted support for vulnerable people through the introduction of free five-yearly electrical safety checks for Priority Services Register customers, and other routes to support these most at-risk groups.
• Improve national housing standards reporting on the condition of homes and their electrical wiring.
• Electrical safety to be prioritised in the installation and maintenance of low-carbon technologies such as battery energy storage systems, EV chargers, heat pumps and solar PVs by increasing the number of specialised and certified installers and registered electricians in the low-carbon space and improving consumer awareness of related safety risks.

We worked with behavioural science and industry experts to develop recommendations.