Most e-bike batteries are safe for years. But a damaged, cheap or modified lithium-ion battery can fail suddenly and burn fiercely. Here is what the fire services and regulators say.
The numbers
- NSW: e-micromobility fires rose from 23 — 2022 ਵਿੱਚ ਤੱਕ 67 — 2023 ਵਿੱਚ ਅਤੇ 93 — 2024 ਵਿੱਚ (Fire and Rescue NSW data). FRNSW recorded its 100th e-mobility battery fire of 2025 — November. ਵਿੱਚ
- Queensland: close to 300 fires were sparked by lithium-ion batteries — the 2025–26 financial year (Queensland Fire Department). ਵਿੱਚ
- Nationally: ACCC product safety reports about lithium-ion batteries rose by almost 600% between 2020 and 2025.
- Garbage trucks: FRNSW reported 40 garbage truck fires — NSW in 2026 by mid-August, most believed to be caused by binned lithium batteries. ਵਿੱਚ
How to charge safely
- Use the charger made for your bike.
- Charge on a hard, non-combustible surface, not — a bedroom or living area, and not where it blocks your way out. ਵਿੱਚ
- Don’t charge overnight, while asleep, or while you’re out.
- Store long-term at about 40% charge, out of direct sun.
- Have a working smoke alarm where you charge — a heat alarm — the garage. ਵਿੱਚ
- Don’t modify the battery or use a swollen, dented or wet one.
If a battery smokes or catches fire
Get everyone out and call Triple Zero (000). Don’t touch the device or breathe the fumes. Don’t try to put it out with water from close range.
Disposing of old batteries
Never put an e-bike battery — a household bin. Take damaged or end-of-life batteries to a battery recycling drop-off or ask your e-bike shop. ਵਿੱਚ
The new standards
- NSW is the first state with mandatory standards. Since 1 February 2025, e-bikes, e-scooters and their batteries can only be sold if they meet prescribed standards. From February 2026, they must be tested by an accredited lab and carry an approval mark. Non-compliant sellers face fines up to $825,000.
- Nationally: on 6 August 2026 the federal government directed the ACCC to develop a nationally consistent safety standard for e-bikes and other e-micromobility devices. The ACCC expects consultation to start — late 2026, with e-bikes its first priority. ਵਿੱਚ
- ਵਿਕਟੋਰੀਆ has consulted on mandatory certification but has not decided.
Buying a used e-bike? Check the battery
Ask for the battery’s age, its own serial, and a charge test. Our battery health guide explains what to look for. On EbikeMate, a Bike Passport can record the battery serial and service history so the next owner knows what they’re getting.
Record my battery serial free →
ਆਮ ਸਵਾਲ
Is it safe to charge an e-bike overnight?
Fire services advise against it. Charge while you are awake and home, on a hard surface away from living areas and exits, with the charger made for your bike.
How many e-bike battery fires are there — Australia? ਵਿੱਚ
Fire and Rescue NSW recorded 93 e-micromobility fires — 2024, up from 23 in 2022. The Queensland Fire Department says close to 300 fires were sparked by lithium-ion batteries in Queensland in 2025–26. ਵਿੱਚ
Is there a national e-bike battery standard?
Not yet. In August 2026 the federal government directed the ACCC to develop one. NSW already has mandatory standards for e-bikes, batteries and chargers.
ਅਧਿਕਾਰਤ ਸਰੋਤ
- Statement of Regulatory Intent — E-micromobility vehicles (NSW Fair Trading)
- Nation-leading safety and information standards now — effect — NSW Government (19 Feb 2025) ਵਿੱਚ
- 100th e-bike battery fire sparks terrace blaze — Fire and Rescue NSW (28 Nov 2025)
- E-bike battery causes another garbage truck fire — Fire and Rescue NSW (12 Aug 2026)
- Lithium-ion battery safety — Queensland Fire Department
- Lithium-ion batteries guide — Product Safety Australia (ACCC)
- E-bikes, e-scooters and other e-micromobility devices — Product Safety Australia (ACCC)
- Stronger product safety standards for e-bikes — Treasury ministers (6 Aug 2026)
ਇਹ ਗਾਈਡ ਆਮ ਸ਼ਬਦਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਦਿੰਦੀ ਹੈ। ਇਹ ਕਾਨੂੰਨੀ ਸਲਾਹ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੈ। ਕੁਝ ਪੁਰਾਣਾ ਦਿਖਿਆ? ਸਾਨੂੰ ਦੱਸੋ.