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mother of three children had become homeless after an electric Fire caused by modified explosion e-bike His family home was destroyed.
Emma Wills, from Chilworth in Surrey, was heartbroken when Fire destroyed his property And killed one of her beloved kittens.
She went to Cornwall for the night in January and a family friend visiting her home accused her Bikewhat happened recently Modified using conversion kit Purchased from online marketplace.
“It wasn’t on charge for long, no more than 20 minutes, but it accelerated so fast and destroyed everything,” Ms Wills said.
“It exploded and blew a hole in the living room floor, and the fire destroyed the kitchen and my bedroom. Home It was so unsafe that we could no longer live there,” she added.
Conversion kits are often more financially attainable for many people than purchasing a fully built kit. e-bikeHowever, the substandard components that make up these kits, which are often sold through online marketplaces, can cause devastating fires, experts have warned.
Now Ms Wills is warning others of the dangers of modified e-bikes.
She warned, “I’ve always been aware of the dangers of lithium-ion batteries because my kids are interested in these things. Most people assume it won’t happen to them, but it can and in some cases it will.”
Nearly a quarter (23 percent) of UK bike owners surveyed said they would consider converting their push-bike to an e-bike using a conversion kit.
Worryingly, almost a third (28 percent) said they would likely buy their kits from online marketplaces, where unsafe and unregulated products sold by third-party sellers have been found to be widely available.
“My advice to others is to think carefully about where you charge for these products,” Ms Wills said.
“If you can, charge them outside. Always read reviews before buying, I may have never done this before, but I do now, and make sure you’re buying from a reputable company,” she said.
In 2024, the Office of Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) received 170 reports of e-bike fires, of which 45 percent were confirmed to be from converted e-bikes, although the actual number is expected to be much higher as not all fire and rescue services notify OPSS of fires involving consumer products.
A government consultation is imminent which will explore ways to deal with the problem of battery fires and potentially dangerous goods.
Safety experts are urging buyers to stick to reputable manufacturers and professional installers for conversion kits, warning that purchasing kits through online marketplaces could put them at risk of setting off a “ticking time bomb” in their home.
“Conversion kits can be a great way to upgrade your bike, but in reality, the kits are made of inferior components “Can cause devastating fires,” said Giuseppe Capanna, product safety engineer at Electrical Safety First.
“Technology has outpaced regulation, meaning there are no existing safety standards for conversion kits, which we desperately need the government to change.”
Mr Capanna pointed out that many of these kits sold through online marketplaces are poorly made and do not include batteries and chargers – meaning buyers will have to shop for a compatible pair themselves. There is also a risk of fire due to this.
He added: “If you are one of the many push bike owners who are considering converting their device, it is important You stick to a reputable manufacturer or retailer where you can be sure that your kit will be built to a high standard and leave your bike street legal.