Recurring concern

Inadequate controls for lithium-ion battery and charger compatibility

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First reported 16 Oct 2014•Latest report 4 Jan 2024

Definition

What this concern includes

Includes failures of controls specifically intended to ensure that lithium-ion batteries are used only with compatible chargers, including voltage-rating standards, connector design, compatibility verification, charger and battery labelling, and restrictions or safeguards against incompatible combinations across e-bikes, e-cigarettes and comparable devices.

Not included

Excludes general lithium-ion battery fire, storage or transport risks where charger compatibility is not the deficient control.
Excludes battery or charger manufacturing, quality and maintenance failures that do not concern compatibility between the battery and charger.
Excludes generic product regulation or public-awareness deficiencies unless they directly impair controls preventing incompatible battery-charger combinations.
Excludes failures involving medication, fluid or other non-battery compatibility systems.

Reports: 3
Individual concerns: 4
Date range: 2014–2024
Stated actions: 6

Reports over time

Reports about this concern issued each year.

* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.

Most frequent recipients

Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.

Office for Product Safety and Standards2

Department for Business, Innovation & Skills1

Concerns and responses across reports

Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

4 Jan2024
Inner North London
Concerns raised2
1. Failure to supply chargers with lithium-ion batteries for e-bike conversion kits
2. Universal charging connectors allowing over-rated chargers to be connected to lower-power batteries
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response 1
1. Action
  Work with WMG to bring forward and share robust insights from research into e-bike and e-scooter batteries, including compatibility issues.
  Stated by Office for Product Safety and StandardsStated in progress
AI-generated summary

Bobby LEE otherwise known as Kim Sing Lee · Prevention of Future Deaths report

This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

Report summary

Bobby Lee died at home on 6 July 2023 from smoke inhalation and severe burn injuries after a house fire caused by the over-charging of a lithium-ion e-bike battery with an unsuitable charger. The report identifies concerns about the safety and quality of e-bike conversion kits, battery chargers and online marketplace sales, including the absence of sufficient standards and controls and the risk of incompatible chargers causing battery fires and further deaths.

Read the report on judiciary.uk
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Failure to supply chargers with lithium-ion batteries for e-bike conversion kits
Wider context from the report
“• Lithium-ion batteries sold as part of e-bike conversion kits are regularly sold/supplied without a charger, thereby increasing the risk of an unsuitable charger being purchased and used. ”
Source location
Bobby LEE otherwise known as Kim Sing Lee · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Page 3 · concerns
Open source report
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Universal charging connectors allowing over-rated chargers to be connected to lower-power batteries
Wider context from the report
“• The presence of universal charging connectors across batteries of different voltages means that there is a significant risk that over-rated chargers can be inadvertently connected to lower power batteries, which was the case in the fire that led to Mr Lee’s death. ”
Source location
Bobby LEE otherwise known as Kim Sing Lee · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Page 3 · concerns
Open source report
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Work with WMG to bring forward and share robust insights from research into e-bike and e-scooter batteries, including compatibility issues.

Verbatim wording from the response
“In your report you refer to the research commissioned by OPSS from Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) into batteries used in e-bikes and e-scooters. This is a wide-ranging and comprehensive project and includes examination of compatibility issues. We are working with WMG to bring forward and share insights from this research as quickly as possible, while ensuring the evidence base is robust and rigorous. We expect WMG to deliver their final report later this year, but in the interim OPSS intends to share early insights from this work across government and through our stakeholder network so it can feed into our understanding of risk and our enforcement and policy priorities. We can write to you again and share this report once it has been published.”

Source location
Response from Product Safety and Standards
Page 2 · response
Published 8 January 2024
Open published response
29 Aug2023
Inner North London
Concerns raised1
1. Failure to prevent mixing lithium ion batteries with chargers carrying different voltage ratings
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response 5
1. Action
  Prioritise identifying and testing e-bikes, conversion kits and chargers, removing unsafe products from the market through enforcement.
  Stated by Office for Product Safety and StandardsStated in progress
2. Action
  Establish a multidisciplinary safety study on risks associated with e-bikes, batteries, modifications and combinations of products.
  Stated by Office for Product Safety and StandardsStated completed
3. Action
  Commission research into battery safety, including compatibility issues, through Warwick Manufacturing Group.
  Stated by Office for Product Safety and StandardsStated completed
1. Action
  Seek stakeholder input and expertise to understand and address complex e-bike safety issues.
  Stated by Office for Product Safety and StandardsStated in progress
2. Action
  Publish consumer information on safe purchasing, use and charging of e-bikes and e-scooters.
  Stated by Office for Product Safety and StandardsStated completed
AI-generated summary

Mizanur RAHMAN · Prevention of Future Deaths report

This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

Report summary

Mizanur Rahman died on 9 March 2023 at the Royal London Hospital after being overcome by smoke during a fire at the multi-occupancy flat where he lived. The fire was attributed to a faulty lithium ion e-bike battery, with evidence indicating that the battery and charger probably carried different voltage ratings. The report raised concerns about the absence of British or European standards governing the sale of lithium ion e-bike batteries, chargers and conversion kits, and the resulting risk of further deaths.

Read the report on judiciary.uk
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Failure to prevent mixing lithium ion batteries with chargers carrying different voltage ratings
Wider context from the report
“That there is presently no British or European (e.g. BSI or PAS) standard to control what lithium ion e-bike batteries and chargers can be sold in the UK and that, consequently: o It is easy for people to buy (including online) lithium ion batteries that are not of sufficient quality or otherwise not of an appropriate standard to charge safely. o There is an increased risk of people mixing and matching lithium ion batteries with chargers that carry a different voltage rating. ”
Source location
Mizanur RAHMAN · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Page 3 · concerns
Open source report
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Prioritise identifying and testing e-bikes, conversion kits and chargers, removing unsafe products from the market through enforcement.

Verbatim wording from the response
“OPSS and Local Authority Trading Standards (LATS) have access to powers to enforce the law and we are prioritising action to identify and test e-bikes, modification kits and chargers so that products found to be unsafe are removed from the market.”

Source location
Response from Product Safety and Standards
Page 1 · response
Published 7 September 2023
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Establish a multidisciplinary safety study on risks associated with e-bikes, batteries, modifications and combinations of products.

Verbatim wording from the response
“OPSS has established a multi-disciplinary safety study to understand data and evidence of risks in this area and we have commissioned new research into battery safety, including compatibility issues, from Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG - part of Warwick University). We are seeking the input and expertise of stakeholders including Electrical Safety First, the Fire and Rescue Services, the National Fire Chiefs Council, and the London Fire Brigade so we can better understand and tackle the complex issues involved.”

Source location
Response from Product Safety and Standards
Page 2 · response
Published 7 September 2023
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Commission research into battery safety, including compatibility issues, through Warwick Manufacturing Group.

Verbatim wording from the response
“OPSS has established a multi-disciplinary safety study to understand data and evidence of risks in this area and we have commissioned new research into battery safety, including compatibility issues, from Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG - part of Warwick University). We are seeking the input and expertise of stakeholders including Electrical Safety First, the Fire and Rescue Services, the National Fire Chiefs Council, and the London Fire Brigade so we can better understand and tackle the complex issues involved.”

Source location
Response from Product Safety and Standards
Page 2 · response
Published 7 September 2023
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Seek stakeholder input and expertise to understand and address complex e-bike safety issues.

Verbatim wording from the response
“OPSS has established a multi-disciplinary safety study to understand data and evidence of risks in this area and we have commissioned new research into battery safety, including compatibility issues, from Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG - part of Warwick University). We are seeking the input and expertise of stakeholders including Electrical Safety First, the Fire and Rescue Services, the National Fire Chiefs Council, and the London Fire Brigade so we can better understand and tackle the complex issues involved.”

Source location
Response from Product Safety and Standards
Page 2 · response
Published 7 September 2023
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Publish consumer information on safe purchasing, use and charging of e-bikes and e-scooters.

Verbatim wording from the response
“Ensuring consumers have access to clear and accurate information on safety issues is also a priority. In September OPSS published information for consumers to raise awareness of safe purchasing, use and charging practices and to draw attention to the new Fire England guidance on safe charging published in August.”

Source location
Response from Product Safety and Standards
Page 2 · response
Published 7 September 2023
Open published response
16 Oct2014
Liverpool
Concerns raised1
1. Failure to restrict micro USB charger compatibility for e-cigarette lithium-ion batteries
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.

No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
AI-generated summary

David Alan Thomson · Prevention of Future Deaths report

This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

Report summary

David Alan Thomson, who had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and was using home oxygen, died at home after an e-cigarette battery reportedly exploded and ignited an oxygen pipe. The report raises concern that incompatible or incorrect micro-USB chargers may cause e-cigarette batteries to explode, particularly in proximity to oxygen equipment.

Read the report on judiciary.uk
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Failure to restrict micro USB charger compatibility for e-cigarette lithium-ion batteries
Wider context from the report
“It is understood that e-cigarettes rely on Lithium-Ion batteries, which are charged using standard micro usb chargers. Unfortunately, any chargers with a micro usb plug will fit and, if the wrong current is fed to the e-cigarette, the battery will “explode”. ”
Source location
David Alan Thomson · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Page 2 · concerns
Open source report

Data last updated 7 September 2026

What this concern includes

Not included

Reports over time

Concerns raised2

Failure to supply chargers with lithium-ion batteries for e-bike conversion kits

Universal charging connectors allowing over-rated chargers to be connected to lower-power batteries

Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1

Concerns raised1

Failure to prevent mixing lithium ion batteries with chargers carrying different voltage ratings

Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.5

Concerns raised1

Failure to restrict micro USB charger compatibility for e-cigarette lithium-ion batteries

Actions described in response 1

Actions described in response 5