E-Bike & E-Scooter Battery Fires at Home: A 2026 Australian Safety Guide

E-Bike & E-Scooter Battery Fires at Home: A 2026 Australian Safety Guide

E-bikes and e-scooters have changed how Australians commute and run deliveries — but the lithium-ion batteries that power them have become the country's fastest-growing fire risk. Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) attended 317 lithium-ion battery fires in 2024, close to one every single day, up sharply from 272 incidents in 2023 and 165 in 2022 (Storemasta, 2025). In 2024 NSW also recorded its first two deaths linked to a lithium-ion battery fire, and people are roughly four times more likely to be injured by a battery-related fire than by other fire types (Storemasta, 2025).

Why these fires are different

A lithium-ion battery doesn't burn like paper or petrol. When a cell is damaged, overcharged or poorly made, it can enter thermal runaway — a self-feeding chemical reaction that generates its own heat and oxygen, making the fire extremely hard to smother and prone to reigniting hours later. Two causes show up again and again in NSW incidents: using an incorrect or non-matched charger, and charging modified devices (NSW Environment Protection Authority, 2025).

Small changes that cut your risk

  • Only charge with the charger supplied for that specific device, and never charge unattended or overnight.
  • Charge away from doorways, hallways and exits — never in a path you'd need to escape through.
  • Stop using any battery that is swollen, hissing, leaking or unusually hot, and never throw batteries in household or recycling bins (NSW Environment Protection Authority, 2025).
  • Buy compliant products. Since 1 February 2025, e-bikes, e-scooters and their batteries sold in NSW are "declared electrical articles" that must meet prescribed safety standards (NSW Government, 2025).

Where containment fits in

Prevention is your first layer — but if a battery does ignite, your goal is to contain and control the fire and get everyone out, not to be a firefighter. A purpose-built EV fire blanket for e-bikes and e-scooters is designed to slow flame spread to nearby furniture and walls and reduce flying debris, buying critical minutes. It's important to be honest about this: a blanket does not "switch off" thermal runaway — it contains and limits it. Our blanket materials are classified to reaction-to-fire standards under EN 13501, and our EV fire extinguishers are manufactured to EN 3-7:2004/A1:2007 to help cool and knock down associated flames in the early moments.

For most households, the simplest setup is our 1L EV Extinguisher + E-Bike Blanket bundle — a containment-first kit kept near where you charge.

In an emergency: Get everyone out, close the door behind you to limit spread, and call 000 immediately. Do not attempt to fight a battery in full thermal runaway yourself.

References

  1. NSW Environment Protection Authority. (2025, February 10). Spate of lithium-ion fires and NSW Government survey sparks community wakeup call on battery risks. https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/news/epamedia/250210-spate-of-lithium-ion-fires-and-nsw-government-survey-sparks-community-wakeup-call-on-battery-risks
  2. NSW Government. (2025). New standards for lithium-ion batteries and e-micromobility devices. https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/safety-home/electrical-safety/lithium-ion-batteries-and-e-micromobility-devices/new-standards-for-lithium-ion-batteries-e-micromobility-devices
  3. Storemasta. (2025, March 6). Firefighters battle growing lithium battery crisis. https://blog.storemasta.com.au/firefighters-battle-growing-lithium-battery-crisis
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