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 sa 2022 hanggang 67 sa 2023 at 93 sa 2024 (Fire and Rescue NSW data). FRNSW recorded its 100th e-mobility battery fire of 2025 sa November.
- Queensland: close to 300 fires were sparked by lithium-ion batteries sa the 2025–26 financial year (Queensland Fire Department).
- 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 sa NSW in 2026 by mid-August, most believed to be caused by binned lithium batteries.
How to charge safely
- Use the charger made for your bike.
- Charge on a hard, non-combustible surface, not sa a bedroom or living area, and not where it blocks your way out.
- 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 sa the garage.
- 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 sa a household bin. Take damaged or end-of-life batteries to a battery recycling drop-off or ask your e-bike shop.
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 sa late 2026, with e-bikes its first priority.
- Victoria 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 →
Mga karaniwang tanong
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 sa Australia?
Fire and Rescue NSW recorded 93 e-micromobility fires sa 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.
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.
Mga opisyal na source
- Statement of Regulatory Intent — E-micromobility vehicles (NSW Fair Trading)
- Nation-leading safety and information standards now sa effect — NSW Government (19 Feb 2025)
- 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)
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