The growing popularity of electric bicycles are fueling concerns over the dangers associated with lithium-ion batteries. New York state is rolling out new guidelines to promote the safer use of the equipment.

What You Need To Know

  •  Gov. Kathy Hochul signed eight bills related to e-bike and lithium-ion battery safety on Thursday

  • The new guidelines are designed to promote the proper use and maintenance of e-bikes and lithium-ion batteries

  • More than 1.1 million e-bikes were sold across the country in 2022, four times the amount sold in 2019

More than 1.1 million e-bikes were sold across the country in 2022, four times the amount sold in 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Paired with lots of sales are fires caused by their batteries, some of which have been fatal.

“These new laws will hold reckless battery makers accountable, build awareness on how to handle e-bikes and also protect our first responders,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said Thursday after signing eight bills into law.

The legislation sets certain standards and specifications manufacturers of lithium-ion batteries must meet. Violations will trigger a $500 fine and a $1,000 fine for any offenses after the first. The state Department of State will develop and maintain resources, information and protocols and first responders will receive training on how to handle an incident involving these batteries.

Retailers must also provide customers with an operating manual for any sort of equipment powered by a lithium-ion battery.

“We’ve seen a big increase over the past few years,” said Ray Posner, an assistant manager at Steiner’s Sports in Valatie. “People are going to e-bikes for all kinds of reasons.”

The customers at Posner’s shop appear to already be aware of the risks the batteries present.

“People want to know about safety, for sure,” Posner said. “We tell them about certification standards, and we tell them about proper charging protocol.”

This includes not charging in extreme temperatures and in a dry location, not leaving your batteries charging unattended for long periods of time and to unplug batteries once charging is complete.

“We do request that customers, if they’re coming in with a brand we’re not familiar with, or a brand we do not trust, that they take the battery out,” Posner explained.

Posner said that’s one of the precautions already taken at the shop to ensure safety while the team services e-bikes, and believes these new guidelines won’t hamper business.

“I am hoping that it gets people to trust e-bikes more and to come into our shop knowing that we have products that they can ride on safely,” Posner said.

A couple of additional measures included in the legislation is a requirement that law enforcement report any injury or death involving an e-bike or scooter crash to the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles; mopeds must be registered by dealers at point of sale; and any cords used to charge lithium-ion batteries must have a tag on them, informing the user to unplug while not in use.