NREL Has Just Issued A Ban On All E-Bikes And E-Scooters Inside Its Facilities. Here’s Why (2024)
We all know that electric bicycles are an integral part of the urban mobility infrastructure of many countries all over the world. In Europe and Asia, several countries are giving aggressive incentives to folks who opt to make the switch to commuting on two wheels. The growing number of infrastructure projects that have cycling as part of their core is also evidence of this.
With all the developments surrounding e-bikes—most of them positive—why is it that some organizations and institutions are taking a backwards approach when it comes to e-bikes? For example, Electrek recently reported that the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has just rolled out a blanket ban that prevents allelectric bicyclesand scooters from being stored inside.
Yes, NREL, an organization dedicated to finding energy solutions for the future has just banned all e-bikes and e-scooters. How ironic is that?
According to Electrek’s report, NREL’s hardline approach towards e-mobility devices stems from safety issues, more specifically, fires. Indeed, e-bike fires have proven to be deadly and difficult to control due to the chemicals and elements found in their batteries, so NREL’s concerns aren't a 100% unfounded.
Nicholas Barlett, NREL’s fire marshall, told Electrek that “The data in the past few years shows an alarming trend of injuries and deaths, as demonstrated by entities such as NYFD and the UL Fire Safety Research Institute. The fires and explosions are attributed to a wide variety of causes such as mismatched chargers, overcharging, uncertified/Listed batteries, poor manufacturing quality, homemade devices, etc. We cannot necessarily control what people purchase and use, but in some instances, we are able to put restrictions on where and how an activity can be done (and we routinely do for everything from experiments with chemicals to fall protection).”
Electric bicycle and other e-mobility-related fires are nothing new, and we’ve tackled a good number of these issues in plenty of articles in the past. At the end of the day, I don’t think blanket bans are the solution to this problem, but rather, ensuring that all electric bicycles sold to the public conform to safety standards that undergo rigorous testing – certifications from organizations like TUV or UL should be more than enough to provide the necessary peace of mind for people to embrace e-bikes as a whole. Needless to say, this is so much easier said than done, as there’s the factor of backyard mechanics and electricians tinkering with their e-bikes’ motors and batteries.
It’s important to note that despite prohibiting e-bikes within its premises, NREL isn’t banning its employees from riding e-bikes to work. The organization is reportedly setting up outdoor charging stations and parking areas for e-bike riding employees and visitors to use. These charging areas are located at a “reasonable distance from building entrances.”
At the same time, it’s also important to understand that the nature of NREL’s business is to find alternative energy solutions, and sometimes, this work entails dealing with sensitive and flammable chemicals. This could also be one of the reasons for the institute’s strict approach towards e-bikes.
While it seems that NREL has had no other choice but to implement a blanket ban on all e-bikes from being stored and charged indoors, we sure hope that this will change in the future, as more and more e-bike manufacturers build up their tech and vye for third-party certification. What do you think? Is a blanket ban on e-bikes too drastic of a measure? Or are NREL’s fears justifiable?
This headline has been updated to make NREL's policy on e-bikes more clear.
According to Electrek's report, NREL's hardline approach towards e-mobility devices stems from safety issues, more specifically, fires. Indeed, e-bike fires have proven to be deadly and difficult to control due to the chemicals and elements found in their batteries, so NREL's concerns aren't a 100% unfounded.
The devices pose another safety concern: Their lithium-ion batteries have caught fire in some cases. Weighing the devices' benefits and drawbacks, California's public universities are split on whether e-bikes and e-scooters should roam campus.
Contamination from dust and dirt that wind up in batteries can create problems over time as charging and discharging a battery causes small physical changes. After enough charging cycles, even a tiny dust particle can lead to a short circuit that sparks a fire.
Safer. Electric bikes are generally considered safer than electric scooters because they are more stable and easier to control. They also have better brakes, which can help prevent accidents. Larger wheels and suspension smooth out the road surfaces and allow more compliance with unexpected bumps or imperfections.
Electric bikes use one car-sized lead acid battery per year. Each battery represents 30-40 percent of its lead content emitted to the environment in the production processes, resulting in about 3 kilograms of lead emitted per battery produced.
There is a higher risk of severe injury and death for riders of e-bikes than for regular bike users. E-bikes were reported as the reason for about 53,000 emergency department visits and caused 104 deaths from 2017-2022. In 2022 alone, e bikes were linked to 24,400 emergency department visits.
One of the most common ebike problems people encounter is a punctured or damaged rear whee l. The rear wheel drives the bike and can be a major inconvenience once it stops working, preventing you from riding your e-bike until the problem is fixed.
There is even some evidence that the injury rate for e-scooters may be higher than that of motorcycles and personal vehicles [27,36]. Most injuries are due to falls or collisions with objects (not with motor vehicles) that occur due to poor road conditions or excessive speeds [5,23,33,35,37].
So far in 2023 we've been called to, on average, an e-bike or e-scooter fire once every two days. In 2022, we attended 87 e-bike and 29 e-scooter fires, a total of 116 fires.
In California, over 9,600 bike crashes happened in 2022, with 225 involving e-bikes. Four of these crashes were deadly. Experts advise buying e-bikes that meet safety standards and being careful with charging and using lithium-ion batteries.
In addition to getting you to move more and clock more miles, e-bikes also improve your overall well-being. According to a systematic review and meta-analysis, published in 2022 in Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, researchers found that e-bike riding can boost your VO2 max, a marker of your aerobic fitness level.
Speed & Range. The average e-bike and e-scooter have about the same speed, which is around the 20 mph (32 kph) mark. But there are significantly many more electric scooters that can do 40-60 mph (65-96 kph) than e-bikes.
And truly rust over time will destroy everything. So we should all be very afraid and we should all do what we can to prevent this type of insidious corrosion. Your E-bike will rust, if you buy a Lamborghini or a Rolls-Royce, it's going to rust.
Cost: Electric bikes can be more expensive than traditional bicycles, which may make them less accessible to some people. Range: Electric bikes have a limited range before needing to be recharged, which may make them less practical for long-distance travel.
The inherent speed and lack of protective measures on these vehicles significantly increase the risk of accidents. Riders often share sidewalks with pedestrians or contend with traffic on roads, leading to collisions and injuries. A lack of proper safety gear and infrastructure exacerbates these risks.
The prevailing concern about allowing electric bicycles on trails is the question of safety—particularly related to speed. The perception is that motor-assisted riders will race down trails, making them dangerous and unpleasant for other types of users.
That classification sets 20 miles per hour as the legal limit for Class 1 & 2 bikes. Class 3 bikes are limited to speeds up to 28 miles per hour. The federal law acknowledges and allows for eBikes to travel faster when the rider uses a combination of human pedal and motor power.
Introduction: My name is Greg O'Connell, I am a delightful, colorful, talented, kind, lively, modern, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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