UK cycling industry launches biggest ever e-bike battery safety campaign
Posted on in Business News , Cycles News
E-Bike Positive, a new initiative with support from across the cycling industry, is set to equip the public with the information needed to buy safe, ride safe and charge safe while promoting and accentuating the health, transport, financial and environmental benefits of e-bikes.
- ‘E-Bike Positive’ represents the UK’s biggest-ever campaign to help consumers make safer e-bike purchases.
- The campaign calls on UK government to encourage safe e-biking, protecting UK consumers and businesses through proportionate legislative measures.
This comes as a new survey shows battery safety concerns are putting millions off e-cycling, blocking significant health, environmental and money-saving benefits.*
The UK cycling sector, including the Association of Cycle Traders, Cycling UK, the Bicycle Association, and Bosch eBike Systems are part of the Electric Bike Alliance, joining forces for the biggest-ever national campaign to boost electric bike battery safety knowledge, inform more people of the benefits of e-cycling, and encourage consumers to buy with confidence.
The E–Bike Positive campaign will share the positive effects of e-cycling and equip the UK public to buy safe, charge safe and ride safe on e–bikes.
As well as advising the government on how to better protect UK consumers and businesses, the E–Bike Positive campaign will help people identify high-quality, legal e–bike products through free resources including:
- Expert support: nearly 300 expert local bike shops have already pledged to advertise, sell and repair only UK legal and safety-checked e-cycles.
- Educational resources: Battery safety guides, resources and independent advice for shoppers, cyclists, e–bike sellers and media.
- Extra assurance: The e–bike industry is developing a new scheme to highlight reputable, high-quality brands that thoroughly safety-test their e-cycles and batteries.
“E–bikes are an excellent solution for modern transportation for almost anyone. They encourage more active lifestyles and make cycling with friends and family of mixed abilities possible”, said Jonathan Harrison, director, Association of Cycle Traders (ACT).
Harrison further added: “Electric cycles are growing in popularity, which underscores the importance of helping consumers to distinguish between high-quality, reliable e–bike products and those that are substandard or potentially hazardous, such as aftermarket lithium-ion batteries, chargers, and conversion kits from unreliable sources.”
New research by the *Electric Bike Alliance reveals that concerns over battery fires deter a significant portion of the population from choosing to travel by e-cycle, seeing them miss out on an accessible form of active travel with game-changing health, environmental, and financial benefits.
- About 23% of UK adults are hesitant to buy an e-cycle after reading about recent battery fire incidents
- 25% worry about batteries charging nearby.
These fires are primarily caused by defective and low-quality – therefore high-risk – products like aftermarket lithium-ion batteries, chargers, and conversion kits from non-reputable sources, international online retailers and resellers.
However, there is a real opportunity to support both British retailers and potential buyers.
- Almost two-thirds (64%) of UK adults claim that e–bike education would lower their concerns about purchasing and using an electric bike.
Meanwhile, a new survey of UK bike shop staff has found that this issue is significantly affecting cycling businesses on local highstreets throughout the country:
- 95% of staff have heard concerns from prospective customers about battery fires
- 25% stated that they believe this has harmed their business.
“The ACT encourages cycle retailers and mechanics from across the UK to help give consumers greater confidence by signing the E–Bike Positive retailer pledge”, said Harrison, who continued, “in so doing, they can commit to specific guidelines when selling, or servicing e–bike products to ensure compliance with legal and safety standards.
“These measures help protect both businesses and customers by promoting safe usage.”
For more information on the E–Bike Positive campaign, visit: www.ebikepositive.co.uk
