Electric bikes: why home storage is being banned in New York

In New York, landlords and other housing management companies are gradually banning tenants from storing their electric bikes or electric scooters at home. The reason ? The risk of fire linked to uncertified lithium-ion batteries, after a series of fires which devastated the city in 2023.

Electric bikes and electric scooters, persona non grata in New York apartments? The question is legitimate in view of the recent events shaking The Big Apple. Many landlords and housing management companies are seeking to prohibit tenants from storing these devices at home.

This initiative is a reaction to the multiple fires that hit New York in 2023: 243 in total (an increase of 710% compared to 2019), for 17 people killed. These incidents were caused by uncertified lithium-ion batteries belonging to electric bicycles or scooters, recalls the media Gothamistwhich cites the city’s firefighters.

The pressure is already on

The problem is that the action taken by owners and management companies does not differentiate between certified and non-certified accumulators. The idea is to outright ban home storage, even for vehicles whose batteries meet international safety standards. Many people are then harmed and forced to park their vehicles outside, where security is less.

The management company K&R Realty Management has already taken action. In a letter sent to tenants, it indicates that electric bicycle batteries “ constitute an extreme danger to the life, health, safety and well-being, body and well-being of all », in reference to the multiple fires that occurred this year.

For its part, the Community Housing Improvement Program, an association bringing together approximately 4,000 owners and managers responsible for more than 400,000 rental housing units in New York, is also providing support. According to her, insurance companies also put pressure on owners on the fire risks inherent to batteries.

Faced with this problem, the city’s municipal council is trying to provide various solutions. First, a law adopted in September prohibited the sale of vehicles linked to soft mobility and whose batteries are not certified. An office will also facilitate “ exchanges of dangerous e-bike batteries for certified batteries “, we can read.

Inspections surprises

Furthermore, surprise inspections have taken place in numerous specialized stores since September, causing 81 summons for sales or rental of uncertified lithium-ion batteries. The project is commendable, given a phenomenon which seems to have taken on a certain magnitude.

Generally speaking, we advise you to purchase an electric bike with standardized mechanical and electronic parts, from known suppliers whose reliability is recognized internationally. For motors, we can cite Bosch, Panasonic, Shimano, Yamaha, Bafang and Brose.