Why Every Australian E-Bike and E-Scooter Owner Needs an EV Fire Blanket

Why Every Australian E-Bike and E-Scooter Owner Needs an EV Fire Blanket

Published by EV Fire Solutions | Fire Safety | E-Bikes & E-Scooters

Australia's love affair with e-bikes and e-scooters is growing fast — and so is the fire risk that comes with them. If you own an e-bike or e-scooter, there's one piece of safety equipment you simply cannot afford to be without: a purpose-built EV Fire Blanket.

Here's why.

Australia Has a Serious Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Problem

The numbers are impossible to ignore. In New South Wales alone, lithium-ion battery fires jumped from 165 incidents in 2022 to 323 incidents in 2024 — nearly doubling in just two years. Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) data shows that 72 fire incidents were directly linked to e-micromobility products (e-bikes, e-scooters, and similar devices) in 2024, compared to 90 incidents across the entire two-year period of 2022–2023 combined. The trajectory is alarming.

In Western Australia, the situation was even more stark — 2024 was the worst year on record, with a lithium-ion battery fire occurring almost every second day.

Tragically, 2024 also marked the first two fatalities from lithium-ion battery fires in NSW. One of these fatal fires occurred in the western Sydney suburb of Guildford in February 2025, when an e-bike battery left charging on an incompatible charger overnight caused a blaze that claimed a man's life. Five other occupants of the home escaped, but the house had no working smoke alarms.

In a harrowing incident just one week earlier, a man in Sadlier, Sydney was struck by shrapnel and another suffered burns and smoke inhalation when an e-scooter battery exploded — part of four separate e-bike and e-scooter fires that FRNSW responded to within a single 12-hour period.

These are not freak events. They are part of a pattern.

Why Lithium-Ion Battery Fires Are Different — and More Dangerous

A standard kitchen fire or bin fire can be tackled with a conventional extinguisher or blanket. A lithium-ion battery fire is an entirely different beast.

When a lithium-ion battery fails — whether due to overcharging, physical damage, an incompatible charger, or a manufacturing defect — it can enter a state called thermal runaway. This is a rapid, self-sustaining chain reaction inside the battery cells where heat generates more heat, releasing toxic gases and intense flames in the process.

Key facts about lithium-ion battery fires:

  • They can reach temperatures exceeding 1,000°C
  • They release highly toxic gases including hydrogen fluoride and carbon monoxide
  • They can reignite hours after appearing to be extinguished
  • They are four times more likely to result in injury than the average fire or explosion incident (11.4 injured persons per 100 incidents vs. 2.8 per 100 for general fire incidents), according to FRNSW data

A regular ABC dry powder or CO2 extinguisher will not address thermal runaway and cannot reliably prevent reignition. Standard fire blankets are not rated for the extreme temperatures involved. You need equipment that is specifically designed for this type of fire.

Introducing Our EV Fire Blanket for E-Bikes and E-Scooters

Our EV Fire Blankets for E-Bikes and E-Scooters are engineered specifically to contain and control lithium-ion battery fires — exactly the kind caused by thermal runaway in your e-bike or e-scooter.

Key Features at a Glance

Designed for Lithium-Ion Fires These blankets are built specifically to handle the extraordinary heat and chemical hazards of a lithium-ion battery fire, not repurposed from general fire safety products.

Size: 2m x 2m Generous dimensions designed to fully cover an e-bike or e-scooter, containing the fire and preventing it from spreading to your garage, home, or surrounding property.

Tested to EN13501 Standards While there is currently no dedicated Australian Standard for lithium-ion battery fires, our blankets have been rigorously tested to the European EN13501 fire safety standard — one of the most respected benchmarks for fire performance and durability in the world.

Rapid Deployment In an emergency, every second counts. These blankets are designed for quick, intuitive deployment — no specialist training required. With practice, deployment takes as little as 60–90 seconds.

Durable and Reliable Built to withstand extreme heat and prevent fire spread, providing a critical barrier between the battery fire and everything around it.

Weight: 2.2kg | Price: $165 AUD (free shipping Australia-wide)

Who Needs One?

E-Bike and E-Scooter Owners

If you charge your e-bike or e-scooter at home — in a garage, apartment, or living area — you need this blanket. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has received 231 product safety reports relating to lithium-ion batteries over the past five years, many involving personal e-mobility devices.

Strata and Apartment Residents

FRNSW has flagged apartment buildings as a major risk area. In July 2024, seven people were treated for smoke inhalation after a lithium-ion e-bike battery exploded while charging in a sixth-floor unit of a 26-storey building in Sydney's George Street. A fire blanket on hand can mean the difference between a contained incident and a building-wide catastrophe.

Workshops and Repair Centres

If your business services, repairs, or stores e-bikes and e-scooters, you have a heightened duty of care. A fatal fire in Teralba, NSW in February 2024 was caused by a lithium-ion battery going into thermal runaway during a repair attempt. Having an EV Fire Blanket as part of your workshop safety kit is essential.

Home Garages

With e-bike ownership booming across Australia, garages have become charging stations — and a potential fire risk zone. Store your blanket within easy reach of where your bike charges.

The New Regulatory Landscape in NSW

The NSW Government has responded to the battery fire crisis with new mandatory safety regulations. From 1 February 2025, all lithium-ion e-micromobility devices (e-bikes, e-scooters, e-skateboards) sold in NSW must comply with prescribed international safety standards. These products are now classified as declared electrical articles under the Gas and Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2017.

From 1 February 2026, permanent certification labels must be affixed to all e-bike frames, and corporations face fines of up to $825,000 for selling non-compliant products.

Regulation is tightening — but regulations alone won't stop a fire once it starts. That's why having the right safety equipment is more important than ever.

What to Do If an E-Bike or E-Scooter Fire Starts

  1. Call 000 immediately. Always — no exceptions.
  2. Do not attempt to move the battery if it is already in thermal runaway.
  3. Deploy your EV Fire Blanket to cover the device and contain the fire.
  4. Evacuate the area — toxic gases can overwhelm quickly.
  5. Do not re-enter the building until emergency services confirm it is safe.
  6. Monitor for reignition — lithium-ion batteries can restart hours later.

Your EV Fire Blanket buys critical time for evacuation and for firefighters to arrive. It is not a substitute for calling emergency services, but it can be the difference between a manageable incident and a catastrophic one.

Prevention Is Still the Best Medicine

While our EV Fire Blanket gives you the protection to respond when things go wrong, here are the FRNSW-recommended steps to reduce the risk in the first place:

  • Only use the original charger supplied with your device, or a certified compatible replacement
  • Never charge overnight or while you are away from home
  • Don't charge in hallways, stairwells, or exits — keep escape routes clear
  • Charge on a hard, non-flammable surface and never on soft furnishings
  • Inspect your battery regularly for swelling, damage, or unusual heat
  • Avoid cheap, uncertified batteries and chargers — if the price seems too good to be true, it often is
  • Ensure you have working smoke alarms on every level of your home — it's a legal requirement across Australia

Be Prepared. Be Protected.

The FRNSW Commissioner has said it plainly: lithium-ion fires are happening to Australian households almost every day. The question is not whether the risk is real — it is. The question is whether you are prepared.

Our EV Fire Blanket for E-Bikes and E-Scooters is compact, easy to store, and quick to deploy. At $165 AUD with free shipping Australia-wide, it is one of the most important investments you can make for the safety of your home, your family, and your property.

Don't wait for an emergency to wish you had one.

👉 Shop the EV Fire Blanket for E-Bikes and E-Scooters — $165 AUD, Free Shipping

Have questions about which EV fire safety products are right for your situation? Contact our team at sales@evfiresolutions.com.au — we're here to help.

Sources & References:

  • Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) — Incident Reports and Battery Fire Statistics
  • NSW Government — Gas and Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2017 Amendments, February 2025
  • Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) — Product Safety Reports
  • NSW Strata Magazine / LookUpStrata — Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Risks in Strata Buildings, July 2024
  • Newcastle Herald — Teralba Fatal Fire Inquest, 2024
  • Information Age (ACS) — Sydney Man Dies in Fire as Battery Blazes Spike, February 2025
  • SBS News — Faulty E-Bike Battery Sparks Sydney Apartment Evacuation, January 2024
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