In response to the fire-risks of lithium-ion battery powered devices, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is proposing a crackdown on e-vehicles during the winter months.
In a new proposal, the TTC recommends the prohibition of e-bikes and e-scooters from Nov. 15 to April 15 of each year, due to the current lack of regulation and concerns of fire risk.
This proposal comes following a Dec. 2023 incident, when an e-bike caught fire on a subway at Sheppard-Yonge Station and resulted in one man suffering non-life-threatening injuries.
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It was revealed following an investigation that the fire was caused by a failure of the bike’s lithium-ion battery which overheated inside the bike.
This battery failure is the result of damage, malfunction, or misuse, and often is a result of fluctuating winter temperatures that cause condensation and lithuma plating, according to the TTC report.
The current lack of regulation means that there is also no efficient way to verify whether the batteries in e-bikes and e-scooters have been damaged, tampered with, altered, or replaced with non-certified components, the TTC report added.
“The TTC will continue to work with Toronto Fire Services and the City of Toronto to implement a safety campaign regarding lithium-ion batteries on our system,” reads the report. “The messaging will focus on the dangers that lithium-ion batteries pose (specifically large batteries found in e-scooters and e-bikes) and how to maintain the highest level of safety with regards to the micromobility devices once the ban is lifted in the spring.”
People with disabilities using electric wheelchairs or other mobility devices, which are powered by lithium-ion batteries, would not be affected by the ban, nor would people travelling with non-electric bikes on the TTC.
The report is set to be reviewed by the TTC board on Oct. 29 2024.
