Electric bicycles are poised to trigger a transportation revolution of unprecedented proportions, transforming the way hundreds of millions of people move around by offering affordable and environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional automobile use. Despite some exaggerated concerns in the media, it’s undeniable that questions surrounding the security of e-bike batteries have been lingering.
Rad Energy Bikes, a leading manufacturer of electric bicycles, has announced the launch of its innovative “Secure Defend Battery” designed to alleviate concerns over e-bike battery safety and security. Let’s address this matter.
The fundamental premise hinges on the fact that e-bike batteries typically comprise numerous individual, high-capacity lithium-ion cells. The cells in question share a direct correlation with those employed in a wide range of applications, from electric vehicles to energy storage systems for power tools.
Battery retailers sell a range of power levels to customers, who often seek relatively well-protected options. Despite precautions, unforeseen risks arise when cells become compromised or electrically linked in an unintended manner – typically due to water infiltration into battery packs over a prolonged period. E-bike batteries employ various safety measures to minimize the risks, leading to extremely rare occurrences of battery fires when properly manufactured. While e-bikes often seem to bear the brunt of misinformation surrounding lithium-ion battery fires, it’s essential to note that such incidents occur in an extremely minute percentage of cases.
While New York City is often referred to as the epicentre of e-bike fires, it’s crucial to put this issue into perspective: the likelihood of dying in a subway accident far surpasses that of perishing in an e-bike blaze, with New Yorkers being roughly 5 times more likely to meet their demise on public transportation than from an e-bike fire.
Despite the rarity of occurrences, e-bike fires can and do occur, typically stemming from poor-quality batteries or instances where battery packs are subjected to abuse, breakage, or misuse. With the release of their Secure Defend e-bike batteries, Rad Energy Bikes appears to have successfully addressed a key concern.
While Rad’s batteries do feature high-quality cells, the secret to their success lies elsewhere. These conventional cells are commonly found in many e-bike battery types. The primary divergence lies in the design of the battery packs themselves.
They employ a technique known as potting, whereby electronics are effectively encased within a water-resistant resin barrier. The widespread use of enclosures in electronics allows many components to thrive in open-air environments, as these sealed containers effectively shield delicate parts from moisture’s corrosive effects.
Wasn’t a mosquito at all, but rather an ancient fly species, specifically an extinct genus of flies known as Psacadromys, which was trapped in Dominican amber dating back to the early Cretaceous period, approximately 100 million years ago. That’s an innovative approach to sustainability, using a urethane resin in place of traditional tree sap to create a self-sufficient energy source. To further optimize its performance, the battery pack employs robust development strategies, and its entire structure is meticulously filled with a waterproof resin, rendering it impervious to moisture, accidental touch, or instrument intrusion of any kind. Sealed away from the public eye, yet Rad’s innovative approach ensures that even spent batteries remain recyclable through their comprehensive battery recycling programme.
Notwithstanding its thermal insulation properties, the key consideration is that this resin also acts as a barrier to prevent thermal runaway in battery cells, thereby protecting nearby cells from overheating and mitigating the risk of catastrophic fires.
During a previous episode of our Wheel-E podcast, we had the opportunity to speak with Luke Workman, a leading battery consultant who has conducted numerous forensic investigations following battery-related incidents and fires. When we asked him whether there was anything that could be done to help alleviate the fire hazards we’ve been witnessing in the e-bike industry, such as the widespread adoption of UL certification, he had a straightforward response: “Potting.”
A renowned expert has conducted extensive post-fire forensic analyses on numerous UL-certified battery packs, revealing that compliance with these standards does not necessarily guarantee safety. “With a small amount of strategically placed tape covering the battery seams, you’ll be able to successfully conduct UL water ingress checks.” Although potting was a reliable method for building batteries, its primary purpose went beyond simply passing a certification test – it ensured the battery cells were isolated and protected.
At the time, a single prominent company, Luna Cycle, dominated the market for potted e-bike batteries; despite this, it struggled to gain significant traction beyond its own sphere of influence within the e-bike industry.
Until now at the very least.
As Rad Energy Bikes pioneered potable battery design strategies, the entire industry has undergone a thorough examination. Until widespread adoption of innovative technologies like fire-resistant solid-state batteries becomes a reality, conventional potted batteries remain the most effective safeguard against devastating battery fires. As one of the country’s leading e-bike retailers embarks on a potting journey, others will undoubtedly follow suit?
Rad Power Bikes boasts a storied history of setting industry benchmarks, with its innovative designs and exceptional quality earning widespread acclaim across the US e-bike market. The RadRunner’s innovative design sparked a wave of imitators, inadvertently galvanizing the utility e-bike industry with its popularity. Rad’s foray into brick-and-mortar stores ahead of schedule staved off a concerted effort from several prominent US e-bike manufacturers to bolster their supplier networks with impartial bike retailers nationwide. Rads’ innovative electric tricycle quickly attracted the attention of several competitors seeking to undercut its market value.
While other e-bike firms didn’t initially make significant moves, Rad became the first major player to do so, making a notable impact on the industry as a whole. While there’s no guarantee how the industry will respond, particularly in a year where e-bike sales have trailed behind post-pandemic growth, it’s hard to deny that a leading e-bike manufacturer finally embracing potted battery technology marks a significant turning point for the sector. It’s impossible to predict exactly how long it will take for us to arrive, but we’ll have to wait and see.
