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Defective e-bikes and e-scooters can cause house fires

On Behalf of | Jan 15, 2025 | Product Liability

Electrically-assisted bicycles and scooters, also known as e-bikes or e-scooters, are an increasingly common sight on modern roads. There are large rental fleets of these vehicles in many major urban centers. Many adults have also been relying on them for basic urban transportation needs.

E-bikes and e-scooters are fun to ride. They are efficient and cost-effective when compared with traditional motor vehicles. However, they are also somewhat risky. Obviously, people who get hit by a car while on an e-bike or an e-scooter are at risk of severe injury.

However, one of the biggest safety concerns related to these new vehicles involves what happens while they charge in between use rather than what might occur while they are on the road. House fires related to defective e-bikes and e-scooters have been on the rise in recent years as well, and defective design might be to blame.

Why do e-bikes and e-scooters cause fires?

The technology that makes an e-bike or e-scooter a feasible transportation device is a lithium-ion battery. These small but powerful batteries can deliver the charge necessary to power these minuscule vehicles without human assistance.

Unfortunately, such batteries do have a tendency to cause fires if they overheat after sustaining damage. Particularly in cases involving cut-rate production, lithium-ion batteries can be a fire hazard in their own right. Faulty charging setups are another potential issue.

Consumers who spend hundreds of dollars on battery-powered transportation expect the vehicles they purchase to be safe and effective. Unfortunately, for a small minority of e-bike and e-scooter owners, the devices they purchase end up causing catastrophic damages by igniting house fires.

Generally speaking, consumer protection groups recommend charging e-bikes or e-scooters in an unattached garage or shed if possible. They also recommend monitoring the charging process and disconnecting the charging cable as soon as the battery reaches a full charge.

Even those who consistently follow best practices could end up suffering property damage losses and other consequences if their e-bikes or e-scooters have defective components. Consumers with injuries or costly property damage losses caused by defective products may have grounds to take legal action. Pursuing a product defect lawsuit can potentially help consumers offset the economic harm caused by poorly-designed or cheaply manufactured e-bikes and e-scooters.