In response to the frequent incidents of lithium battery fires in electric bicycles in recent years, resulting in serious injuries and deaths, the government of New York Mayor Adams recently announced that it is pushing for a new regulation to comprehensively ban the storage and use of “uncertified” lithium batteries throughout the city, and to strengthen enforcement efforts.
According to the draft regulation, if electric bicycle riders or other individuals are found to be in possession of uncertified batteries, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) can confiscate and penalize them in accordance with the law, and the batteries will be handed over to the city’s Sanitation Department for unified destruction. A spokesperson for the mayor emphasized, “Safeguarding the safety of citizens is the government’s top priority, and these new regulations will make storing uncertified lithium batteries anywhere illegal.”
In fact, as early as 2023, the City Council and the mayor enacted legislation to prohibit the sale, distribution, or rental of uncertified energy storage batteries, which must undergo testing in qualified laboratories and meet safety standards before being marketed.
Data shows that between 2019 and 2020, battery fires caused injuries to 13 and 23 people, respectively, with no fatalities; but in 2021, the number of injured individuals increased to 79, with 4 deaths; in 2022, it rose to 147 injured and 6 fatalities; in 2023, the death toll surged to 18, with an additional 150 injured; last year, 99 injuries and 6 deaths were recorded; and as of July this year, there have been 29 injuries and 1 death.
The city government has also written to several food delivery companies, requesting them to ensure that delivery workers use certified batteries that meet safety standards. The Fire Department will hold a public hearing on October 1 to solicit feedback before revising or formally adopting the regulations.