Following a rash of deadly fires caused by faulty e-bike scooter batteries, a City Councilman plans to introduce a new bill prohibiting the sale of non-certified batteries.
Democrat Oswald Feliz’s district is among several that have seen fires break out as a result of faulty e-bike batteries. Several fires have turned fatal — including an Aug. 1 blaze that trapped a 2-year-old and her mother inside their apartment.
E-bike related fires have killed nine people and injured 164 others in the last two years, according to FDNY — compared to zero deaths the previous two years.
To combat the issue, Feliz’s bill, which has yet to be introduced, would bar the sale of e-bikes that don’t have batteries certified by a “nationally recognized testing lab” and would also ban the sale of bikes with refurbished batteries. It comes as an alternative to a city proposal to ban the vehicles from being stored in public housing.
Firefighters on the scene of an all-hands fire at 110 E. 129th St. in Manhattan on Aug. 3, 2022. Robert Mecea“The rise in e-bike fires is concerning and it’s an issue that will not go away on its own,” Feliz said. “It requires legislative action and it’s why I’m proud to introduce legislation that will help ensure batteries sold in NYC are safe and do not harm our hardworking families.”
Feliz is also working with Manhattan City Councilwoman Gale Brewer, who has her own package of e-bike safety bills she plans to introduce.
Brewer’s bills would not only ban refurbished batteries, but also push delivery app companies to cover the costs of more legit — and more expensive — hardware, Streetsblog reported on Aug. 17.
The councilwoman has also been scouring her district for potential garages to host charging station for workers, she told The Post.
A Fire at 1400 Bergen St. may have been started by an e-bike, according to officials. Michael Dalton“I cant say that I have it all figured out. We don’t want anybody to get hurt — that’s the goal,” she said.
NYCHA has pushed to ban the vehicles entirely in response to the fires, but Feliz and Brewer seek a lighter touch. Both officials oppose the ban, which the Bronx rep called “misguided.”
“Banning them will probably not help improve fire safety because some of the batteries are safe for use, but will instead cause economic harm to hardworking residents who rely on e-bikes to earn a living and support their families,” Feliz said.
