UK fire services see surge in lithium‑ion battery blazes

Fire brigades across the United Kingdom responded to 1,760 lithium‑ion battery fires in 2025, equivalent to one incident every five hours. The increase of 147% since 2022 mirrors the tripling of electric vehicles (EVs) on UK roads.

Electric‑car fires rose to 279 cases last year, up 133% from 2022, but still affected fewer than 0.02% of the roughly two million EVs in operation. E‑bike fires surged even faster, with 520 incidents – almost a third of all lithium‑ion fires – and a disproportionate share involving retrofitted or converted bikes. London fire services handled 44% of e‑bike blazes, recording 230 cases in the capital.

Nearly half (46%) of all lithium‑ion fires occurred in homes, while 31% were outdoors and 23% in commercial premises. Experts warn that thermal‑runaway fires burn hotter and last longer, often requiring up to ten times more water to extinguish, and that improper disposal and counterfeit parts exacerbate the risk. The annual cost of these incidents is estimated at over £1 billion.