Mr Kimber originally contacted NOTA concerned that he was being asked to jump through “bureaucratic hoops” to operate the e-bike hire arm of his Nambucca Heads newsagency business, however investigations by NOTA revealed that his eight e-bikes had already been certified to the new standards.

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After a spate of fires linked to lithium batteries such as those found in many e-bikes and e-scooters, the State Government moved to increase standards for items entering the market passing new legislation mid-2024 to come into effect from February this year.

In 2021, NOTA reported on e-bikes for hire at Nambucca Newsagency and since then, although not a huge money-spinner for the business, the bikes have proved popular with tourists to the area.

Mr Kimber said the first he heard of new regulations was last week when an investigator from NSW Fair Trading stopped by his shop to tell him that all his existing e-bikes, batteries and chargers (currently available for hire), should be tested and certified to newer safety standards which were already in effect.

“I thought it was laughable,” he said.

“The number of illegal bikes we see on the roads and around, yet our bikes which were imported just four years ago legally, following Australian government rules, are being targeted,” Mr Kimber told NOTA.

Since then, with the assistance of NOTA, enquiries were made to the overseas company from which he purchased the bikes, and the newer certification for each model of the eight bikes in his fleet has been obtained.

“We tried to buy quality bikes in the beginning, so I’m very pleased to hear that has paid off,” Mr Kimber said after learning that his bikes were in the clear.

“I just wonder what they are going to do about all the non-complying bikes that are out there in people’s houses,” he added.

Fair Trading NSW told NOTA that they have been working with industry to ensure businesses are prepared for the changes.

“The Australian and international Standards for e-bikes were set as a result of industry consultation in 2024,” a spokesperson said.

“These standards were nominated as the standards that most manufacturers and sellers already complied with.”

The new requirement applies to all e-bikes sold or available for hire after 1 February 2025, including e-bikes purchased before this date.

“The changes are expected to have minimal impact on businesses which already sell quality, compliant products, however, sellers of low-quality or counterfeit products that do not meet safety standards will need to adjust their supply chains,” Fair Trading NSW said.

A spokesperson from NSW Fire and Rescue told NOTA, “There have been around 26 fires just since January this year related to micromobility (small vehicles including e-bikes, e-scooters, mobility scooters).”

Figures obtained by NOTA reveal that micromobility devices (e-bikes, scooters etc) were responsible for around 98 of the 324 battery-related incidents in NSW in 2024.

According to the spokesperson, a large factor in these fires was incorrect use of charging devices, especially when the wrong charger or battery is paired together, modifications made to original devices and poor-quality products.

“These devices should also never be left unattended to charge,” he advised.

Although the small-size of an e-bike or e-scooter’s lithium-ion batteries means they are consumed by fire quickly, the resulting explosion can ignite nearby flammable items.

In 2024 there were two fatalities from a house-fire in the Lake Macquarie district which have been linked to lithium-ion batteries.

By Ned COWIE