Although bicycles have flourished during the pandemic, electric bicycles are the biggest growth area. A report by the market research organization NPD found that sales of electric bicycles have increased by 240% in the past year, and now make cars the third largest bicycle sales category, even larger than road bicycles. The report found that riders have been attracted by the ease and enjoyment of electric bicycles, especially the emergence of electric bicycles on city streets, making consumers more familiar and comfortable with them.
Another potential catalyst for the adoption of electric bicycles is the specific electric bicycle tax credits included in the "Rebuild Better" bill currently being debated by Congressional Democrats.
However, lightweight lithium-ion batteries allow riders to power hillsides and commute without much exercise, but there are some risks. Batteries—similar to the technology used to power cell phones, laptops, and other lightweight electronic products—carry a lot of energy, which also means the risk of uncontrolled energy release due to equipment failures or accidents. Chief of micro-mobile consulting company Human Powered Solutions Mike Fritz, a technical officer, said: "The reality is that the possibility of a fire is very small, but its impact can be dangerous."
Fritz was involved in the manufacturing of one of the first electric bikes for sale in collaboration with EV Global Motors in the 1990s, and recently collaborated with Pedego Electric Bikes. He said that the battery has always been a challenge for the industry because it needs to be light enough to not drive down the bicycle, but the energy density must be large enough to provide enough power. He said that although lithium-ion batteries have some risks, they can be minimized by following the "rules of common sense".
A 2020 report from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) identified 41 deaths and 132,800 emergency room visits related to micro-mobile products between 2017 and 2019, and discovered some fire problems with electric scooters, bicycles and hoverboards . Of the 97 fires identified during this period, 93 were related to hoverboards. The incomplete data report released by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission in September stated that 71 people died during the three-year period ending in 2020, but no battery fire or other cause has been determined.
In 2019, Lyft suspended its electric bike fleet after two batteries caught fire (the electric bikes were returned to the streets after about five months and were considered safe). Previously, Lime recalled some scooters due to fire risks in 2018.
This year, Austin Fire Department officials stated that a fire in a hotel in September was related to the charging of electric scooters. The London Fire Brigade issued a warning in July about what they called a "violent fire peak" related to micro-motor vehicles.
At a press conference in October, FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro stated that the fire is a "very serious problem and it is increasing."
"We haven't encountered this problem on mobile phones or other devices. The problem started with the proliferation of electric bicycles," Nigro said.
Fritz has worked with bicycle dealers and fire officials to develop safe charging and storage guidelines, which include recommendations such as not leaving vehicles to be charged unattended, and not to store many vehicles in one place for overnight charging. He said that this may be a challenge for some teams, but it is necessary as manufacturers strive to find safer alternatives.
"The energy density of gasoline is much higher than that of batteries... but technically, we have learned how to manage the associated risks," Fritz said. "I believe that in the near future, this problem will completely disappear."
Correction: We replaced the photo with this story to avoid suggesting a connection with the bicycle supplier whose story is not named.
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After the "first wave" of the smart city movement, local leaders described how they have largely shifted from technology first to residents first.
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