In-depth Analysis of Australian Micromobility Trends and Battery Safety Hazards

According to the market consulting firm P&S Intelligence, the Australian micromobility market generated a total revenue of $16.9 \times 10^6$ in $2020$ .
The market is defined to encompass several categories of transport: * Electric bikes and traditional bikes. * Electric and traditional scooters. * Electric mopeds. * Three-wheeled 'pods'.
E-scooters currently hold the largest share of this revenue, a dominance attributed primarily to their cost effectiveness.

There has been a significant rise in fires involving rideable devices, most of which are powered by lithium-ion batteries.
The majority of these incidents are associated with low-quality Light Electric Vehicles (LEVs).
The fires typically occur while the devices are in the process of charging.
EV Fire Safe, an organization dedicated to tracking battery fires in electric vehicles, has documented global trends: * Total worldwide incidents identified since the start of the year: $57$ . * Total serious incidents identified in Australia: $13$ .
Emma Sutcliffe serves as the director of the EV Fire Safe project.

Emma Sutcliffe identifies three specific factors that contribute to the failure of low-quality electric vehicles: * Hardware Deficiencies: These devices often feature poor-quality lithium-ion battery cells and inadequate battery management systems (BMS). * Operational Stress: The vehicles undergo significant physical wear and tear ("take a beating") during normal daily operation. * Environmental and Storage Risks: These devices are frequently stored or charged inside residential homes or workplaces, which significantly increases the risk of a fire spreading to the surrounding structure.

Battery Pack Construction: Battery packs are composed of modules containing multiple smaller battery cells, structurally similar to a group of traditional AA batteries working in unison.
Initiating Events: If the cells are physically damaged or subjected to overcharging, they begin to generate internal heat and gas build-up.
Propagation: The heat from a single faulty cell transfers to adjacent cells within the module.
Chain Reaction: This heat transfer triggers a chain reaction known as a thermal runaway.
Exothermic Reaction: The process culminates in an eventual explosive exothermic reaction. During this phase, the built-up gases burst, catch fire, and vent from the battery module.

The Australian Fire Department provides specific guidance to mitigate these risks: * Consumers are advised to exclusively purchase and use products from reputable and established brands.