e bikes
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EV battery repair is dangerous. Here’s why mechanics want to do it anyway
Fixing car and e-bike batteries saves money and resources — but challenges are holding back the industry.
E-bikes are going to keep exploding
We are stuck in battery purgatory.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dtv8/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
How e-bike battery fires became a deadly crisis in New York City
City leaders are racing to regulate battery-powered mobility devices, which have been the source of over 100 fires so far this year, writes Winnie Hu for The New York Times.
In a nutshell:
As e-bikes have exploded in popularity, there has been a corresponding spike in exploding lithium ion batteries. Pandemic-driven demand and loose regulations opened the early market to scores of cheap machines propelled by cheap batteries. With market forces driving the headlong pursuit of more amp-hours, corners may have been cut. Mistakes may have been made. And small, powerful, lithium ion batteries, rushed to market to power this emerging revolution in transportation continue to pose a public health hazard.
Key quote:
“The problem is that we’re trying to squeeze too much energy out of these batteries, and that makes them more dangerous,” said Nikhil Gupta, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering.
Big picture:
E-bikes are here to stay. An energy transition is taking hold and electric bicycles and scooters, especially prized by those who work or commute on city streets, are leading the way. In urban centers like New York City and London, where people often charge their batteries in small apartments, lithium battery fires are emerging as a leading cause of fatal fires. The dangers of lithium batteries have been on the radar of fire officials for years and rigorous steps have been taken by regulators to make them safer in myriad consumer electronics and electric vehicles. Safety regulations for the manufacture of e-bike batteries, scant in the past, are ramping up and poised to change.
Read the full story in The New York Times.
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https://www.flickr.com/photos/dtv8/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
How e-bike battery fires became a deadly crisis in New York City
City leaders are racing to regulate battery-powered mobility devices, which have been the source of over 100 fires so far this year.
Do not put your kid on an electric bike
Yes, they’re fun, fast, and convenient. But motorized vehicles are not for children.
Photo by G-FORCE Bike on Unsplash
How to avoid E-bike battery fires and explosions
Batteries from reputable manufacturers that have undergone testing and certifications are widely considered safe. But problems may start to arise when batteries are damaged, modified or shoddily made.
Allan Harris/Flickr
Subscription-based bike hire schemes on a roll
A growing number of people are choosing to hire a bicycle over a long period of time.
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