E-bike fire deaths are plummeting in NYC. Here’s the real reason why
If you’ve been following the news on electric bicycle fires in the US, you’ll already know that New York City is widely seen as the epicenter, often catching headlines for battery fires. The city hosts more electric scooters and e-bikes than ever before, and yet this year is seeing a drastic drop in fatalities caused by battery fires.
So if there are more battery-powered mobility devices on NYC’s streets than ever before, why are the fire death figures heading in the opposite direction?
First of all, as we’ve often reported here on Electrek, the phenomenon of an electric bicycle fire, and especially fatalities from electric bicycle fires, are exceeding rare. They get plenty of news coverage because of the old “if it bleeds (or burns), it leads” adage. But the fact of the matter is that there are millions of e-bikes and e-scooters currently rolling around the US and battery fires are incredibly rare.
Even in New York City, which is home to more of these devices than anywhere else in the US, the city saw just 14 fatalities from dozens of e-bike fires in 2023. That isn’t to say the problem isn’t serious but rather to put things in perspective. New Yorkers are 3-5x more likely to die from choking or riding the subway than from a battery fire.
Despite that already low rate, 2024 has seen a major drop in e-bike fire fatalities. As of last month, just four deaths were recorded in battery fires, marking more than a 60% drop compared to 2023, according to the New York Times.
The biggest contributing factor to e-bike battery fires is the prevalence of low-quality batteries produced by ultra-budget manufacturers. These batteries can be attractive to consumers due to their significantly lower prices. Such cheap batteries are commonly used by delivery riders and other low-income workers who rely on their e-bikes for a living, but they come with safety concerns due to unscrupulous production methods.
New York City, for its part, has made a major effort to keep those batteries out, implementing a ban on mobility devices sold with batteries that are not UL-compliant. Since the ban began, city inspectors have visited hundreds of e-bike stores and battery repair shops, helping to enforce the ban on non-conforming batteries.
While this hasn’t completely stemmed the tide of poorly-made batteries, it has certainly helped reduce their availability and the number of cheaply made e-bike batteries out on the street.
NYC has also undertaken major educational programs that have encouraged city residents to charge their batteries safely, meaning either outdoors or in fire-protected areas such as specially designed charging boxes, instead of in the living room of their apartments.
The city has partnered with multiple third-party battery cabinet companies that offer secure locking storage for battery charging and swapping. This enables delivery riders and others to safely and quickly charge their batteries or swap them out for new ones.
Such outdoor charging facilities are becoming somewhat more common, but are still rare in the United States. Companies like Beam have debuted solar-powered charging stations for e-bikes, but the requirement to bring their own wall charger has been a common criticism of such designs.
Other companies, such as Mod Bikes, have debuted e-bike charging stations that provide locking storage for the e-bike chargers.
The variety of different secure charging locations, the crackdown on poorly-made batteries, and the investment in education and public awareness around e-bike fires have likely helped NYC make such a major reduction in e-bike fire fatalities in just the past year.
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Lucid Motors (LCID) is calling out the competition after the 2026 Air remains the most efficient EV in the US according to new EPA rankings.
2026 Lucid Air remains most efficient EV in EPA rankings
It has been 9 years since Lucid introduced the +400-mile-range Air, its first luxury electric sedan. Since then, the California-based EV maker has come a long way, introducing its first electric SUV, the Gravity, and plans to launch a series of more affordable midsize vehicles, starting later next year.
Lucid’s former CEO, Peter Rawlinson, who was a top engineer at Tesla before joining the luxury EV startup in 2013, promised the company’s innovations would be “the key to unlocking greater efficiency,” and ultimately, more affordable vehicles.
Rawlinson was not kidding. The 2024 Lucid Air Pure was deemed the “world’s most efficient car” with a record 5 miles of range per kWh and a 146 MPGe rating, the highest rating ever given to an EV by the EPA.
Even with a slate of new EVs hitting the market, many claiming next-level efficiency, the Lucid Air is still ahead of the pack.
According to new EPA rankings, the 2026 Lucid Air Pure RWD (with 19″ wheels) remains the most efficient EV in the US with a 146 MPGe rating.
The Air beat out the 2026 Tesla Model Y Standard RWD (138 MPGe), 2026 Tesla Model 3 Premium RWD (137 MPGe), 2026 Toyota bZ (131 MPGe), and the 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 Plus EV (126 MPGe).
Other automakers often tout EV range using lenient WLTP or CLTC test cycles, masking efficiency gaps and inflating expectations. Now that official U.S. EPA numbers are out, the story changes. Lucid Air delivers S-Class size with unmatched efficiency, going farther on less energy… pic.twitter.com/yqYHMgF4tm
— Nick Twork (@ntwork) November 25, 2025
Lucid’s communications boss, Nick Twork, shared the news on social media, saying the Air “delivers “S-Class size with unmatched efficiency.”
While many automakers tout EV range using more lenient WLTP or CLTC test cycles, Twork said Lucid’s advantage “comes from a holistic engineering approach” that was designed years ago and “still ahead of any passenger car sold today.”
Electrek’s Take
By developing electric vehicle components from the ground up, including the powertrain, battery systems, and software, Lucid has an advantage over many legacy automakers that rely on third parties to outsource.
For one, Lucid’s innovations are already driving down costs. The first Lucid Air Dream Edition, launched in 2021, started at $169,000. Today, you can snag the Lucid Air for as low as $70,900.
Lucid is now ramping production of its first electric SUV, the Gravity. Last month, it launched the lower-priced Gravity Touring trim, starting at $79,900.
Starting later next year, Lucid will begin production of its midsize platform, which will spawn at least three “top hats” priced around $50,000. The first will be a midsize crossover SUV, followed by a more rugged SUV that will share design clues from the Gravity X concept. Although it’s yet to be confirmed, the third is expected to be a midsize sedan that could go head-to-head with the Tesla Model 3.
Rawlinson previously said Lucid’s midsize vehicles are aimed “right in the heart of Tesla Model 3, Model Y territory.”
After reporting Q3 earnings last month, Lucid said it had enough liquidity to fund it through the first half of 2027 and confirmed it’s on track to begin production of the midsize platform in late 2026.
Ready to test Lucid’s luxury EVs for yourself? Lucid is running a Cyber Monday Special, offering $2,000 toward an Air or $3,000 toward a Gravity. Check out the links below to find Lucid Air and Gravity models in your area.
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Hyundai Motor and Kia are racing past US rivals, scoring their largest market-share jump since the pandemic. The Korean auto giants’ market share reached a record 10.9% in October.
Hyundai and Kia capture record US market share
Hyundai and Kia’s big bet on the US is paying off. Despite the new tariffs on imported vehicles and loss of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, the Korean automaker is outpacing the competition.
Thanks to strong demand for electrified vehicles, especially SUVs, Hyundai and Kia captured a record 10.9% share of the US market in October.
Hyundai Motor, including Genesis and Kia, saw its combined US market share rise 3.4% from 7.5% in 2019. According to The Korean Economic Daily, this was the largest gain among major OEMs, including the “Big 3” GM, Ford, and Stellantis.
The growth is primarily due to its expanding lineup of hybrid SUVs, including the Tucson, Sorento, Telluride, Santa Fe, and Palisade.
Since 2020, Hyundai and Kia’s US hybrid market share has surged from just 5% to 14% this year. Through October, the Korean automaker sold 257,340 hybrids, already topping the roughly 222,500 it handed over in 2024.
Although hybrid sales surged, Hyundai and Kia’s EV sales dropped in October following the loss of the $7,500 federal tax credit.
Hyundai sold just 1,642 IONIQ 5s last month, a 63% decrease from October 2024 and significantly fewer than the over 8,400 sold in September.
Kia didn’t fare much better with just 666 EV9s and 508 EV6s sold in October, a stark contrast from the 1,941 and 1,732 sold in October 2024.
The policy changes caused Kia to delay the launch of several new EVs, including the EV4, its first electric sedan, and the high-performance EV9.
Hyundai Motors North America CEO, Randy Parker, said the policy changes have “temporarily disrupted the market,” but the company is confident it will reset over the next few months.
After the US and South Korea agreed to lower tariffs from 25% to 15% last month, Hyundai and Kia are now on par with Japanese automakers, including Toyota. Japan reached a similar deal with the US in September.
With local production picking up at Hyundai Motor Group’s Metaplant America and Kia’s West Point plant in Georgia, the Korean automakers expect to carry the momentum into 2026.
Hyundai and Kia have been pushing some of the strongest promotions to make up for the loss of the federal tax credit. Kia introduced a $10,000 customer cash discount across its entire EV lineup last month. Meanwhile, Hyundai is still offering IONIQ 5 leases as low as $189 per month, which is about as low a payment you’ll find for an all-electric vehicle.
Interested in testing one for yourself? We can help you get started. You can use our links below to find Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis vehicles near you.
Electric Vehicles:
Hybrid vehicles:
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If you ask the average American which country is doing the most to improve e-bike battery safety, most people probably wouldn’t guess China. But that’s exactly where the world’s strongest, most comprehensive lithium-ion safety rules are coming from – and the latest round just went into effect today.
Beginning December 1, China has officially banned the sale of all e-bikes built to the older national standard, replacing them with a new, far stricter rule set known as GB 17761-2024. Under the announcement from the State Administration for Market Regulation, any e-bike sold in China from today forward must carry a valid CCC certification under this brand-new standard. Older certificates are now invalid, and retailers caught selling non-compliant bikes face enforcement from local regulators.
The new rules go far beyond what most countries require. They tighten fire-resistance requirements, restrict the amount of plastic allowed on an e-bike, cap total vehicle weight, and mandate improved electrical safety. The regulations also work hand-in-hand with a second standard, the already-implemented GB 43854-2024, which sets some of the toughest lithium-ion battery testing requirements in the world, including mandatory over-charge protection, thermal abuse tests, puncture tests, and a ban on repurposed or second-hand cells, a major cause of past fires.
Balancing safety and convenience for existing owners, Chinese regulators also built in consumer protections. Bikes that were already purchased and registered under the old rules won’t be forced off the road. And companies are required to support repairs and spare parts for at least the next five years. But unregistered “old-standard” bikes must have been formally plated already, or they’ll no longer be legal to operate.
For a country often stereotyped as producing unsafe batteries, the reality is almost the opposite. China is now setting the global pace on e-bike safety – aggressively tightening standards, sharply reducing fire risks, and pushing manufacturers to meet levels of testing that most of Europe and the US still haven’t matched.
via: ITHOME
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