The city will roll out an e-bike trade-in pilot program as part of a new effort to prevent lithium-ion battery fires, officials said Monday.
The $2 million program will allow eligible food delivery workers to exchange unsafe e-bikes and lithium-ion batteries for new devices, Mayor Eric Adams said at a press conference.
The pilot will be the first of its kind in the nation when it launches, Adams said.
“I want to be clear: E-mobility devices, including e-bikes and scooters are not the enemy here,” the mayor said. “[But] the faulty versions of these batteries and bikes and e-scooters and illegal electronic mopeds are being leased, rented, and sold to New Yorkers. Many of these devices do not meet the safety standards and contain uncertified lithium-ion batteries.”
“Too often, they store them in the wrong place, they cause the fire, and it just endangers the lives of everyday people,” he added.
The pilot program is part of a broader initiative, called the “New York City Safe Charging Accelerator,” aimed at preventing lithium-ion battery fires and promoting safe e-bike usage and charging, Adams said.
As part of the effort, the city’s Department of Transportation will propose a rule that would allow property owners to apply for a permit to install e-bike battery swapping and charging cabinets on sidewalks in front of their buildings, the mayor said in a release.
Cabinets would have to comply with location and size requirements, and the FDNY and the city’s Department of Buildings would have to review and approve them, the release said.
“This is a huge change,” Adams said. “This is a big deal today, and it's going to help make safe charging accessible to all New Yorkers and provide alternatives to risky charging sites that block exits.”
The FDNY will also launch a $1 million education campaign focused on the dangers of unsafe lithium-ion batteries as part of the initiative, according to the release.
The city plans to allocate $750,000 for advertisements translated into 10 languages, while $250,000 will go toward educational materials and “advanced firefighting equipment,” the release said.
“This million dollars is going to be critical,” FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said at the press conference. “It is going to make sure that even more New Yorkers understand not only how dangerous these [fires] can be, but also that there is something they can do about it right now, even as we are working on all these other pieces.”
Lithium-ion batteries, which power e-bikes and e-scooters, have started more than 700 fires in New York City since 2019, Adams said. Four people were killed in lithium-ion battery fires in 2021; six were killed in 2022; 18 were killed in 2023; and one person was killed this past February, FDNY data shows.
The city will start accepting applications for the trade-in pilot program at the beginning of next year, with a public hearing set to be held online at 10 a.m. on Aug. 22 of this year, the release said.
“Participants must reside in New York City, be at least 18 years of age, own an eligible, working device, and have earned at least $1,500 over the prior year as a food delivery worker to be eligible to participate in the program,” the release said. "Participants will receive two batteries because many delivery workers report that a full day of work often necessitates the use of two batteries.”
A public hearing focused on the proposed charging cabinet rule, meanwhile, will be held online at 10 a.m. on Aug. 21, the release said. Applications for that program will open at the end of this year.