New York City Mayor Eric Adams has launched the New York City Safe Charging Accelerator to ensure safe e-bike usage and prevent deadly lithium-ion battery fires.
The initiative includes the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) proposing a rule to expedite approvals for property owners to install e-bike battery swapping and charging cabinets on public sidewalks.
This aims to remove barriers to installation and make them accessible for e-bike users.
Additionally, the DOT will launch the nation’s first municipal trade-in pilot program for unsafe e-bikes and their batteries, allowing eligible food delivery workers to replace unsafe devices with certified, high-quality e-bikes and batteries.
The Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) will also launch a $1 million public education campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of unsafe lithium-ion batteries.
New data shows that 59 percent of 2023’s lithium-ion battery fires started when the batteries were not charging.
These steps build on Mayor Adams’ “Charge Safe, Ride Safe: New York City’s Electric Micromobility Action Plan” to promote public safety as e-bike usage increases.
The DOT’s e-bike trade-in program, the first of its kind in the nation, will focus on exchanging unsafe e-bikes and lithium-ion batteries for new, certified devices.
Participants will receive a UL-certified e-bike and two compatible, UL-certified batteries in exchange for their unsafe devices and batteries.
The program aims to reduce fire and crash risks, help participants comply with local and state laws, and encourage the use of cleaner, greener forms of e-mobility for deliveries.
Participants must reside in New York City, be at least 18 years old, own an eligible, working device, and have earned at least $1,500 over the prior year as a food delivery worker to be eligible for the program.
A public hearing on the new trade-in program will be held online on August 22, with applications opening in early 2025.
FDNY is launching a $1 million campaign this month to raise public awareness about the rise in lithium-ion battery fires in New York City and the dangers posed by uncertified batteries, even when they are not charging.
Of the $1 million, $750,000 will be used for ads online, on subways and buses, on digital kiosks, in targeted newspapers, and on the radio.
These ads will be translated into 10 languages and strategically placed in neighborhoods with a high incidence of lithium-ion battery fires.
The remaining $250,000 will support educational materials and advanced firefighting equipment.
Ads will feature imagery promoting proper battery usage and include QR codes linked to fire safety tips.
New Yorkers can learn more about lithium-ion batteries and view the campaign online.
To support the safe use of electric micromobility devices, DOT is proposing a rule to expedite approvals for property owners to install battery swapping and charging cabinets on public sidewalks.
This rule will enable property owners or commercial tenants, with the property owner’s consent, to apply for a permit to install these cabinets.
Each cabinet must comply with specific siting and dimensional requirements and undergo FDNY and Department of Buildings (DOB) review and approval.
The FDNY will hire additional staff for expedited safety inspections and approvals of equipment.
Once fully staffed, approval decisions are expected to take no more than six weeks.
A public hearing on the administration’s battery swapping and charging cabinets rule will be held online on August 21.
Applications for the program will open at the end of 2024.
