E-bike batteries started 267 fires in New York City last year. These swapping stations are designed to help

FAST COMPANY
Adele Peters

February 29, 2024

When a fire started at an apartment building in Harlem last week, it spread so quickly that one resident jumped from the sixth floor to escape. Firefighters helped others climb through windows and down ropes. At least 17 people were injured, and a young journalist who lived in the building died. The cause: E-bike batteries that were charging in one apartment overheated and went up in flames.

It’s one of hundreds of fires started by e-bike batteries in the city since the use of electric bikes to make deliveries surged during the pandemic. Last year alone, the batteries started 267 fires, often in apartments where multiple batteries of questionable quality were charging simultaneously. But the city has now launched a pilot to help delivery workers avoid charging batteries at home. A group of 100 riders will soon begin testing the system.

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