NYC's Burning Issue - Micro-Mobility Batteries

In 2022, NYC experienced 216 fires related to these batteries, resulting in six deaths and 147 injuries. This represents a significant uptick from 2021’s 104 fires, which resulted in four deaths and 79 injuries. In the first two months of 2023, there were already 2 deaths and 40 injuries from these battery fires.

FDNY Captain Michael Kozo has stressed the severity of the situation, pointing out that lithium-ion battery fires in NYC have risen sharply, leading to fatal consequences. Mayor Eric Adams has concurred, identifying uncertified lithium-ion batteries as the root cause of the problem.

While these fires are a problem in NYC, they also provide a means for many to make a living. In NYC, there are over 60,000 food delivery workers who rely on micro-mobility to provide their delivery services, and this trend is only growing. The online grocery sector is expected to reach $740.88 billion between 2022 and 2027.

NYC officials working for safety

On March 20, 2023, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the Charge Safe, Ride Safe: New York City's Electric Micro-mobility Action Plan to protect citizens from fires caused by lithium-ion batteries and encourage safe electric micro-mobility usage. The plan is comprised of four focus areas: 

·      Promoting and incentivizing safe battery use 

·      Increasing education and outreach to electric micro-mobility users

·      Advocating for additional federal regulation of these devices

·      Expanding enforcement against high-risk situations 

The plan will also pilot new technology to promote safe charging, storage, and e-bike usage and allow e-bikes in parks and greenways this summer. Five pieces of legislation were also signed into law to help reduce fires caused by lithium-ion batteries.

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Figure 2. ZapBatt battery on e-bike

Getting down to the nitty-gritty of this battery fire problem

There are a few main reasons why micro-mobility fires are happening in the city that never sleeps. Lack of certification, overcharging, maintenance neglect, swapping batteries and battery chemistry are all contributors to this fiery problem.

Certification - Due to the high cost of quality e-bikes, micro-mobility users may adopt unsafe and uncertified technologies. Different certifications are needed for different applications of a battery. There is certification of battery cells, certification of battery packs and certification of the entire electrical system of e-mobility devices. Each of the three types of certification is important. However, even with these certifications, real-world environmental conditions can still lead to lithium-ion battery fires.

Maintenance - The lack of maintenance and the procurement of batteries without considering their usable cycle life can increase the risk of battery fires as batteries age and degrade over time. Physical damage can cause the battery to catch fire or explode. While regular maintenance can help detect signs of damage or malfunction, lithium-ion battery repairs can be very challenging.

Swapping - Delivery workers who need to ride for long hours may purchase multiple batteries and swap them to avoid downtime and revenue loss, but this practice can be dangerous as it can cause short-circuiting and physical battery damage. If the swapped battery's voltage, capacity, or chemistry doesn't match the bike's requirements, it can damage the battery and the bike's electrical system and cause a fire.

Overcharging - Overcharging batteries overnight and indoors can cause a breakdown of the core chemistry and a buildup of heat and pressure within a lithium-ion battery, leading to swelling, leakage, and explosion. 

Chemistry - Standard lithium-ion batteries are widely used to power e-scooters and e-bikes, but they suffer from two major safety issues - lithium deposition and thermal runaway. Lithium deposition occurs due to everyday use, resulting in "whiskers" forming inside the battery, which can lead to spontaneous fires. Thermal runaway is a chain reaction inside battery cells that creates a self-sustaining fire that can grow. These fires can also occur spontaneously due to carbon within the batteries fueling the fire.

No waiting line for a better battery

There are a lot of promises out there for a “miracle battery” to save the day, but the problem is most of those batteries are still being tested and are at least a few years out until they can be deployed. That’s not the case for lithium-titanate (LTO) batteries.

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Figure 3. ZapBatt battery

LTO isn’t a “new” chemistry but rather a reworked one. The Department of Defense has been using LTO for years, but now the chemistry has newly integrated software and hardware, making this battery chemistry the ultimate weapon to keep micro-mobility safe and convenient. 

LTO battery is…

Quick Charging: LTO batteries can be charged 10X faster than standard lithium-ion chemistries without degrading its lifetime or forming dendrites. This benefits those who use electric personal mobility devices more than a few hours a day, especially in NYC, where users need to quickly charge between rides. This eliminates the need for dangerous battery swapping that could damage batteries.

Durable: LTO batteries can be charged and discharged up to 15,000 cycles before they need to be replaced, equating to a twenty-plus year lifespan. These batteries can also withstand punctures, short circuits, and physical damage without sparking a fire. 

Fire Resistant: Due to the core properties of the lithium titanium nanocrystal, LTO batteries will not go into thermal runaway from overcharging compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. This matters in a densely populated area like NYC, where many batteries are charged indoors.

AI Friendly: LTO allows more freedom to optimize with AI because it can move energy in and out so quickly without degrading its cycle life. An LTO battery can be optimized over time from AI, given the environment it is put in. For example, an LTO battery in NYC can optimize how it performs as seasons and temperatures change. 

Thermally Adaptive: LTO batteries continue to work in a wide variety of temperatures, making them ideal for a city like New York that can experience different climate conditions. 

Replaceable: LTO can adapt to a variety of vehicles and voltages that allow for an easy swap from any lithium-ion battery without changing hardware in the operated device. This can be an off-the-shelf option for quick adoption.

Tested and Proven: LTO isn’t a “new” chemistry but rather a reworked one. The Department of Defense has been using LTO for years, but with newly integrated software and hardware options along with AI, this chemistry is the ultimate weapon to keep micro-mobility safe and convenient. 

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Figure 4. Delivery worker on e-bike

On a sustainability note

The lifetime of a battery is the main and only factor that affects its sustainability. When a battery is produced, a certain amount of CO2 is used to build, produce, ship and procure. The only thing to offset that is being able to charge and discharge off of renewable power. The longer the battery lasts, the lower the carbon footprint of the battery. LTO batteries last twenty-plus years - far exceeding lithium-ion chemistries. 

As micro-mobility continues to expand in popularity, safety must be prioritized, and LTO batteries can provide a safer battery option for riders. By choosing LTO batteries, riders can ride with confidence and peace of mind, knowing they are using a safe, reliable and sustainable energy source.

The future NOW to power micro-mobility is LTO.

ZapBatt