New e-bike standards come with $825,000 fine

The Minns government will introduce new e-bike standards in hopes of reducing the increasing number of “e-fires” and products not meeting the new standard could cop thousands in fines.

Lithium-ion powered bikes and scooters will have to meet strict new product standards from next year as the Minns government moves to reduce the soaring numbers of “e-fires”.

New testing, certification and marking requirements will come into place with NSW Fair Trading requiring devices – which also include e-hoverboards and e-skateboards – to meet the new standards from February.

Those who continue to sell products that do not meet the tough new standards will face fines of up to $825,000.

While the new standards only apply in NSW, the Minns government will be formally requesting the regulation of these products be placed on the national agenda for the next federal and state Consumer Ministers Network meeting in December.

Selling products that don’t meet the standards will result in hefty fines. Picture: Daily Telegraph.

The move – flagged in The Daily Telegraph last month – comes amid a surge in lithium-ion fires, which authorities say are putting homes and lives at risk.

Lithium-ion battery fires are extremely hard to put out with some firefighters resorting to burying a device to put out the blaze.

A recent University of NSW publication on lithium-ion battery safety said while water-based fire extinguishers could cool down the battery to help prevent the spread of fire, they did not extinguish the blaze on the battery.

“And even when a lithium-ion battery fire appears to have been extinguished, it can reignite hours – or sometimes even days – later,” it said.

Lithium-ion battery fires had to burn until the energy had “dissipated” or be put out via special gel extinguishers, it said.

The new regulations come after an uptick in lithium-ion fires. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

Excessive heat was one of the key causes of fires with a faulty charger or short circuit also potentially damaging a battery and leading to overheating.

With more e-mobility devices being sold to NSW consumers – rising 322 per cent in two years, the number of fires are also increasing with Fire and Rescue NSW attending to 54 “e-fires” since January – including one that resulted in two fatalities.

Fair Trading Minister Anoulack Chanthivong said NSW was going it alone on introducing new standards as the unregulated products were posing a “huge risk” to life and property.

“We’re acting ahead of other jurisdictions because unregulated products are posing a huge risk to property and in some cases, lives,” he said.

The new standards will apply to e-bikes, electric scooters, self-balancing scooters, electric skateboards, but exclude cars or other vehicles which require registration.

Welcoming the new standards, NRMA Director of Policy and Public Affairs, Robert Giltinan, said it was crucial the new standards were adopted nationally.

The new standards will also apply to electric scooters, self-balancing scooters and electric skateboards. Picture: Jane Dempster

“The NRMA has been deeply concerned by the increasing number of fires caused by lithium-ion batteries in e-bikes and e-scooters, posing significant risks to users and the public,” he said.

“We commend the NSW Government for working with stakeholders and for taking decisive action to implement stringent product standards, testing protocols and certification requirements to enhance safety.

“It is crucial that these measures be adopted nationally, and we fully support the NSW government’s initiative to place this regulation on the national agenda to create a unified approach across Australia.”

The NRMA would like to see a “unified” approach to regulation. Picture: Jane Dempster

Bicycle Industries Australia general manager Peter Bourke said the vast majority of products on the market were safe, and used battery cells similar to those in laptops and phones.

“E-bikes and E-scooters are fantastic mobility solutions for many people in NSW, improving health, reducing congestion and harmful tailpipe emissions, in many cases, they are faster to get to work and school and most importantly they are fun,” he said.

“Bicycle Industries Australia (BIA) supports the direction of the NSW Minister to ensure that all products meet the required quality standards.”

The new standards will come into effect on February 1.

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Originally published as New e-bike standards come with $825,000 fine