Fires involving electric bikes and scooters have reached record levels across the UK, with experts warning shoppers to be careful when buying from online marketplaces.
New figures showed there were 432 e-bike fires last year, up 38 per cent from 313 in 2024. There has even been a fivefold increase over the last four years.
E-scooter fires have also gone up, with emergency services recording 147 incidents in 2025, marking a 20 per cent increase on the 123 reported the year before.
Many fires are caused by battery failures, faulty conversion kits, or unsafe chargers, with concerns about products bought through online marketplaces that may not meet the same safety standards as those sold by trusted retailers.
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Nick Bailey, from BatteryIQ, said devices involved in fires are often "always cut-price products sold through online marketplaces with lax quality control".
He also warned about a growing black market for unsafe batteries, especially among delivery riders, with some reportedly made using recycled parts from disposable vapes.
Mr Bailey added: "I wouldn't keep a battery in my home without continuous monitoring regardless of what the manufacturer's sticker says."
If lithium batteries used in e-bikes and scooters fail, they can ignite quickly and release toxic fumes, especially if they are being charged indoors.
E-bike and e-scooter fires have prompted the Government to launch a consultation on new rules
| LONDON FIRE BRIGADEThe data, gathered using Freedom of Information requests, found that the London Fire Brigade recorded by far the highest number of incidents, attending 171 e-bike fires and 35 e-scooter fires in 2025.
Outside London, Nottinghamshire had the most e-bike fires with 30, followed by Greater Manchester with 13, and Avon Fire and Rescue Service with 10.
The dangers were highlighted by the death of 30-year-old Eden Abera Siem, who died after a fire at her home in Wood Green last June.
Investigators warned that the blaze was likely caused by a failing e-bike battery while it was charging, registering the fourth fatal e-bike fire in London.
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The London Fire Brigade warned that it attended roughly 18 e-bike and e-scooter-related fires every month | LONDON FIRE BRIGADELesley Rudd, chief executive of Electrical Safety First, said the situation is "swiftly becoming a runaway train that needs to be stopped".
She warned: "Poorly made batteries and accessories, often sold via under-regulated online marketplaces, are of huge concern, and are a major route through which dangerous devices are entering people's homes. Without strong and enforceable changes, lives are at serious risk, and further loss of life is, sadly, inevitable."
Similarly, Sue Davies, from Which?, also raised concerns that "online marketplaces are increasingly saturated with unsafe products."
She warned that e-bikes and e-scooters are just some of the items posing risks to consumers, while also undercutting legitimate businesses that follow safety rules.
E-bikes and e-scooters have been blamed for causing a large number of fires | LONDON FIRE BRIGADE The Government has launched a consultation on improving product safety laws, including making online marketplaces more responsible for stopping unsafe goods being sold.
"These duties must be strong and enforceable, with clear measures in place to protect consumers and reduce the risk of fires and other harm," Ms Davies said.
The London Fire Brigade said it remains "extremely concerned" about the growing number of fires and the serious impact they can have.