The city that never sleeps is famous for its traffic jams, which makes electric bike a first choice solution to move there. However, the increasing number of devices is also leading to an increasing number of problems, prompting the town hall to take matters into their own hands.
New York is not only dealing with an abnormally high number of road accidents related to electric bicycles, but also with the inconvenience associated with one of their essential components.
More and more victims
While the lithium-ion batteries found in e-bikes have dramatically transformed the devices we use every day, from cell phones to road vehicles, they are not flawless. Like many other types of accumulators, they can have a rather impressive tendency to ignite, which has been causing headaches for many brands in recent years.
However, there are standards that guarantee their proper functioning and, above all, their safety. They are generally well respected by manufacturers who make the quality of their products a priority. However, the latter often turn out to be too expensive for certain categories of the population, who tend to prefer cheaper electric bikes imported by dubious brands. The latter tend to make concessions on many elements, thus putting the lives of users in danger.
This year alone, 13 battery-related deaths have been recorded in New York City, where nearly 65,000 e-bikes have been put on the road. This figure is constantly increasing and particularly concerns delivery people, for whom an electrically assisted vehicle is almost essential to work in decent conditions.
A daunting challenge for New York and other major cities
Faced with this situation, the city has decided to intervene by affirming its desire to keep the most dangerous devices outside its borders. It has thus prohibited the marketing on its territory of devices that do not meet the required approvals, as well as the use and sale of batteries modified or reconditioned from lithium-ion cells recovered from used devices. In addition, it has adopted a plan to install safer charging stations for pedelecs. Indeed, if the quality of the batteries is an important factor to consider, it is also not a question of doing anything with the charging equipment. When these are not adequate, they can quickly cause fires, especially among users.
However, it may take a little more to completely eradicate the problem of batteries catching fire. Interviewed by Electrek, Battery expert Luke Workman, explains that cities like New York present particularly difficult conditions for e-bikes. While the sweltering heat of North American summers can put a strain on appliances, winter isn’t the optimal season either, and it’s not just because of the cold. Indeed, snow often falls in abundance in this part of the world, and communities are never stingy when it comes to salting the roads. However, as Workman explains, salt has the unfortunate tendency to seep into poorly sealed batteries, which can quickly cause short circuits inside them, which then end up overheating and failing. ignite.
However, the expert points out that even good quality batteries can be subject to these problems. Except in the case of batteries whose components sensitive to overheating are separated from each other by resin, which considerably limits the risks. But, being more expensive, it is difficult to imagine that they can equip all the VAE sold and placed on the market. These are considered essential to limit CO2 emissions in large cities, so New York’s main objective is to reduce risks by evacuating the most dangerous machines.
Source : Electrek
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