Record Surge in Ebike and E-Scooter Fires Across the UK in 2025
Fire brigade figures obtained through freedom of information requests have revealed a dramatic increase in fires involving electric bicycles and e-scooters across the United Kingdom in 2025. The data shows at least 432 ebike fires were recorded, marking a 38% rise from the previous year's 313 incidents. This represents more than a fivefold increase compared to the 84 ebike fires documented in 2021.
Alarming Statistics and Regional Hotspots
E-scooter fires also saw a significant jump, with 147 blazes reported in 2025 – a 20% increase from the 123 recorded in 2024. The statistics were compiled from responses received from 37 of the UK's 49 fire brigades. London Fire Brigade recorded by far the highest number of incidents, with 171 ebike fires and 35 e-scooter fires last year.
Nottinghamshire reported the second highest number of ebike fires at 30, followed by Greater Manchester with 13 and Avon with 10. For e-scooter fires outside London, Greater Manchester led with 13 incidents, ahead of Avon's 10.
Root Causes and Safety Concerns
Experts attribute the majority of these fires to failures in lithium batteries, conversion kits, or chargers. Products purchased from online marketplaces present particular risks as they often bypass the regulatory scrutiny applied to established retailers. Nick Bailey of BatteryIQ, which provides battery safety monitoring systems, emphasized that fires typically involve "cut-price products sold through online marketplaces with lax quality control."
Bailey highlighted a growing black market for DIY and counterfeit batteries, particularly among delivery riders, often constructed using battery cells reclaimed from used disposable vapes. "I wouldn't keep a battery in my home without continuous monitoring – regardless of what the manufacturer's sticker says," he cautioned.
Tragic Consequences and Regulatory Gaps
The human cost of these incidents was tragically illustrated last year when 30-year-old Eden Abera Siem died in hospital after a blaze at her north London home. Investigators determined the fire was likely caused by a failing ebike battery during charging. Lesley Rudd, chief executive of Electrical Safety First, warned that "poorly made batteries and accessories, often sold via under-regulated online marketplaces, are of huge concern" and represent "a major route through which dangerous devices are entering people's homes."
Spencer Sutcliff, a deputy commissioner with London Fire Brigade, expressed extreme concern about "the devastating impact these fires can have on lives and livelihoods," noting that firefighters "continue to be called out to a worrying amount" of such incidents.
Transport Bans and Legal Framework
In response to the fire risks, privately owned e-scooters have been banned from the Transport for London network since December 2021. This prohibition was extended to non-foldable ebikes across most TfL services in March last year following an ebike fire on a platform at Rayners Lane tube station. While private e-scooters remain banned from public use across the UK, they continue to be ridden illegally in many urban areas.
Legal trials of rental e-scooters on roads have been ongoing in English towns and cities since July 2020. Under current UK regulations, ebike motors must automatically cut out when reaching 15.5mph, though police report finding increasing numbers of modified vehicles capable of much higher speeds.
Calls for Stronger Consumer Protection
Sue Davies, head of consumer rights policy at Which?, noted that "online marketplaces are increasingly saturated with unsafe products" and that "ebikes and e-scooters are just some examples of items that can pose serious risks to consumers while also undercutting responsible businesses that comply with the law."
The government has initiated a consultation on updating product safety frameworks, including potential duties for online marketplaces to prevent unsafe products from being sold by third-party sellers. Davies emphasized that "these duties must be strong and enforceable, with clear measures in place to protect consumers and reduce the risk of fires and other harm."
