From NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT
JANUARY 22, 2024
By Paul Homewood
h/t Ian Magness
Electric bikes, seen as a solution for tackling climate change, have caused a record number of fires in New York City.
According to figures released by the New York Fire Department to Fox News, e-bikes – powered by lithium-ion batteries – were responsible for 267 fires in the city.
They claimed 18 lives and caused 150 injuries, with fatalities increasing 200 per cent in 2023.
The latest figures show that sales of e-bikes in the US increased by 269 per cent between 2019 and 2022. It is estimated that the market was worth $2.59 (£2bn) billion by the end of 2023.
They have been seen as a way of decarbonising the US and Democratic members of Congress have sponsored legislation which would subsidise their purchase.