Fire-service records show a growing number of incidents involving lithium-ion batteries, but the published totals cover different products and reporting systems. This page separates QBE’s UK FOI exercise, OPSS’s voluntary product-fire notifications and London Fire Brigade’s records, alongside dated waste and vape research. Sources are listed at the end.
Key facts and figures
- 1,760 lithium-ion battery fires in 2025 were reported in QBE’s May 2026 FOI exercise, with responses from 42 of 49 UK services.
- 520 of those reported fires involved e-bikes, compared with 149 in 2022 in the same QBE release.
- 46% of the 2025 incidents in QBE’s analysis were in homes, 31% outdoors and 23% in commercial premises.
- 206 e-bike and e-scooter fires in London in 2025 were reported in LFB’s January 2026 press release.
- 267 fires were voluntarily notified to OPSS for 2025: 217 e-bikes, 46 e-scooters, three mobility scooters and one e-unicycle.
- 32% (86) of the OPSS-notified fires in 2025 started while charging; charging status was unknown in 89 cases.
- 1,200+ battery fires in UK waste operations were estimated by Material Focus’s research published in May 2024.
- 172 fires involving vapes, e-cigarettes or their batteries/chargers were reported for 2025 in Zurich’s June 2026 FOI analysis.
Checked on 15 October 2026, including OPSS’s September 2026 update. Notification and FOI figures have incomplete coverage. They should not be added together or treated as a single national census.
How many lithium-ion battery fires are there in the UK each year?
QBE’s May 2026 exercise received responses from 42 of 49 UK fire services and reported 1,760 lithium-ion battery fires in 2025, averaging about 4.8 a day. Its published comparison was 147% above 2022. These are incidents reported by responding services, not a complete official UK total.
The same 2026 release gives 713 fires for 2022, 1,138 for 2023 and 1,456 for 2024. Using this single release avoids mixing earlier FOI rounds with different totals. It includes several product categories, including electric cars, e-bikes and e-scooters.
| Year | UK lithium-ion battery fires | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 713 | Baseline |
| 2023 | 1,138 | +59.6% on 2022 |
| 2024 | 1,456 | +27.9% on 2023 |
| 2025 | 1,760 | +20.9% on 2024; +146.8% on 2022 |
All four years shown are from QBE’s May 2026 release. Changes are calculated from its reported counts; differences in recording and coverage may affect comparisons.
How many e-bike fires happen in the UK?
QBE’s 2026 comparison lists 520 e-bike fires in 2025, versus 149 in 2022, 272 in 2023 and 373 in 2024. E-bikes accounted for about 30% of its latest total. This measures recorded incidents; without compatible usage or fleet data it does not establish an individual rider’s probability of a fire.
London’s downloadable lithium and electric-vehicle dataset contains 230 e-bike entries for 2025, within 522 mixed product and vehicle records. Those figures differ from the brigade’s separate January press release. The records do not, by themselves, establish why incidents are concentrated in particular places or occupations.
Do most e-bike battery fires happen while charging?
The 2025 OPSS notifications do not show that most fires started while charging. Of 267 incidents, 86 (32%) occurred while charging, 92 (34%) while not charging and 89 (33%) had unknown status. The percentages are rounded. Without time-at-risk data, these counts cannot rank the danger of charging against other periods.
OPSS recorded a battery or generator as the ignition source in 235 incidents (88%). Government guidance advises using compatible equipment, keeping escape routes clear and following safe charging instructions. Our smoke alarm statistics page explains alarm ownership and operation; alarms complement, rather than replace, prevention.
How dangerous are conversion kits and cheap batteries?
OPSS identified 82 converted e-bikes among its 217 e-bike fire notifications for 2025, about 38%. Another 37 were manufactured e-bikes and 98 had unknown build type. A percentage of reported fires is not a comparative risk rate: the numbers of converted and manufactured bikes in use are also needed.
Reporting is voluntary. London Fire Brigade supplied 214 of the 267 notifications in the 2025 OPSS report, so its distribution is strongly influenced by London. QBE’s broader FOI exercise covers other lithium-ion products and different recording practices. Keep these series separate.
| Series | What it counts | Coverage | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| QBE FOI | Reported lithium-ion battery fires across product types | 42 of 49 UK services responded | 1,760 in 2025 |
| OPSS notifications | E-bikes, e-scooters and specified related products | Voluntary; 214 of 267 from LFB | 267 in 2025 |
| LFB press release | London e-bike and e-scooter fires | Separate January 2026 publication | 206 in 2025 |
The table identifies each source’s coverage. OPSS also includes a small number of mobility scooters and e-unicycles; none of these totals should be summed.
What do the London Fire Brigade figures show?
LFB’s 28 January 2026 release reported 206 e-bike and e-scooter fires for 2025: 171 e-bikes and 35 e-scooters. Its comparison figures were 179 in 2023 and 171 in 2024. This is a rise from the preceding year, rather than an increase in every year shown.
That release reported two deaths in 2025 and five since 2023. The London Datastore provides a separate downloadable incident record which is revised and also covers hybrid/electric vehicles and other products. Its 2025 e-bike count differs from the press release; the difference is not treated here as proof of a particular cause or definition.
| Year | LFB e-bike & e-scooter fires | Deaths (London) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 179 | — |
| 2024 | 171 | — |
| 2025 | 206 (record) | 2 (5 since 2023) |
The table uses LFB’s January 2026 press release throughout. The downloadable dataset is linked separately for readers who need individual recorded product categories.
Why are batteries setting bin lorries and recycling sites on fire?
Material Focus’s May 2024 research estimated more than 1,200 battery fires in UK bin lorries and waste sites over the preceding year, compared with about 700 in 2022. This is a dated research estimate, not a 2025 or 2026 official incident total. Batteries can be damaged or crushed during waste collection and processing.
The same research estimated 1.6 billion batteries discarded in a year, including over 1.1 billion hidden in electrical products. Use appropriate battery and electrical recycling routes. Do not put loose batteries or battery-containing electricals into general rubbish or ordinary mixed recycling bins.
Are vape and e-cigarette fires rising too?
Zurich’s 1 June 2026 release reported 172 fires involving vapes, e-cigarettes or their chargers/batteries in 2025, compared with 132 in 2024 and 31 in 2021. It drew on responses from 38 fire brigades and some public data. The 30% annual increase is a change in those recorded incidents, not a complete UK count.
The UK single-use vape sales and supply ban began on 1 June 2025, partway through the latest comparison year. These annual figures alone cannot establish the ban’s effect on fires. Reusable vapes also contain batteries and need safe charging and disposal.
What about EV cars and household electrical fires?
Electric-car fires are included in QBE’s wider analysis and vehicles appear in London’s specialist dataset, but an incident involving a car does not necessarily begin in its battery. Our vehicle fire statistics page distinguishes battery-electric cars, hybrids and other road vehicles. Fires involving fixed wiring, sockets and mains appliances have separate recording categories.
Domestic appliances are covered in our white goods fire statistics. Product involvement, ignition source and a recorded fire cause describe different things; consistent definitions are essential when comparing the figures.
What does the data say about preventing battery fires?
Follow manufacturer instructions and government guidance: use compatible batteries and chargers, buy from reputable suppliers, avoid charging while asleep or away, and keep escape routes clear. Stop using damaged equipment. If a battery is smoking, hissing, dangerously hot or burning, leave it, get people away and call 999; do not try to carry it outside or tackle the fire. Use suitable recycling arrangements for discarded batteries.
For workplaces, universities and landlords, the fire risk assessment should consider where devices are charged, stored and disposed of, including any e-bikes brought indoors. Fire awareness training keeps that risk visible to the people who actually charge the devices.
Frequently asked questions
How many lithium-ion battery fires are there in the UK each year?
QBE’s May 2026 FOI exercise reported 1,760 in 2025 from responses covering 42 of 49 UK fire services. Its comparable 2022 figure was 713, a rise of about 147%. These are incomplete reported totals, not a national census.
How many e-bike fires happen in the UK?
QBE reported 520 e-bike fires in 2025. London’s downloadable dataset contains 230 e-bike entries, while LFB’s separate January press release reported 171. These publications should be identified separately rather than presented as identical measures.
Do most e-bike battery fires happen while charging?
No majority is established by the latest OPSS report. Charging was recorded in 86 of 267 fires in 2025 (32%); 92 were not charging and 89 had unknown status. Safe charging remains essential.
Are e-scooter and e-bike fires still increasing?
QBE’s 2026 series shows increases in its recorded totals from 2022 to 2025. LFB’s press-release series rose from 171 in 2024 to 206 in 2025, after 179 in 2023. Different reporting systems and coverage affect comparisons.
What is the difference between the QBE and OPSS figures?
QBE asks fire services for recorded lithium-ion incidents across product types. OPSS receives voluntary notifications when specified consumer products are the probable cause. In 2025, 214 of OPSS’s 267 reports came from London; the series cannot be added to QBE’s total.
Where do UK lithium-ion battery fire statistics come from?
Sources include QBE’s FOI returns, OPSS’s product-fire notifications, London Fire Brigade releases and the London Datastore. Dated waste research comes from Material Focus and vape figures from Zurich’s own FOI release. Links are below.
Related guides
- White Goods Fire Statistics UK: Tumble Dryers, Washing Machines & Recalls
- Smoke Alarm Statistics UK: Ownership, Failures & Lives Saved
- Candle Fire Statistics UK: Incidents, Injuries & Safer Habits
- The Right Fire Extinguisher for an Electrical Fire
- Fire Classes Explained: A, B, C, D, F and Electrical Fires
Sources & references
- QBE — 2026 FOI release and comparable 2022–2025 table
- OPSS — 2025 fire notifications, updated 30 September 2026
- London Fire Brigade — 2025 e-bike and e-scooter release, 28 January 2026
- London Datastore — separate lithium and electric-vehicle incident dataset
- NFCC / Material Focus — battery fires in waste, May 2024 research
- Zurich — vape-fire FOI results, 1 June 2026
- Government guidance — managing e-cycle and e-scooter battery fire risk
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Mark writes about workplace health & safety, fire safety awareness and accredited online training for Fire Safety Awareness Training, part of Online CPD Academy.