E-scooters in Tuttlingen: maintenance after fire and safety tips!

E-scooters in Tuttlingen: maintenance after fire and safety tips!

An e-scooter caught fire in Villingen-Schwenningen after technical defects in the battery system were identified as the suspected cause. According to reports from Swabian The age of the battery could also have played a role. These incidents raise questions about the safety and maintenance of e-scooters, which have also been in use in Tuttlingen since the end of March 2023. A total of 120 e-scooters are available there, although the provider Zeus is allowed to rent out up to 200 e-scooters according to a cooperation agreement.

The e-scooters are between two and three years old, and maintenance practices call for batteries to be changed every 24 to 48 hours. In the event of damage, the scooters are brought to Schwenningen for repairs, while complete annual maintenance is carried out, including the replacement of wear parts. The batteries are usually designed to last up to five years and are replaced after three years. It is worth noting that after a fire in Rottweil, all batteries in the affected batch were withdrawn from circulation for testing.

Fire safety measures and behavior in an emergency

Although there has not yet been an e-scooter fire in Tuttlingen, there are clear guidelines for dealing with e-scooter fires. In the event of a fire, the scooters should be stopped immediately and parked safely. A sufficient distance from buildings, vehicles and people is also important. People should not attempt to extinguish the fire themselves, but should inform the fire department immediately and point out the specific risks of a battery fire.

The safety of e-scooters is also criticized by experts who point out the risks of battery fires. A study by the KFV (Board of Trustees for Road Safety) examined awareness of fire risks in Austria in 2023. Loud KFV Over 200,000 e-scooters were decommissioned in Austria in 2022, with an expected increase to 400,000 in 2024. However, 25% of e-scooter owners have not taken safety measures and 20% are not insured. The condition of the batteries is crucial as lithium batteries can be dangerous, especially if overcharged or handled improperly.

Tips for preventing battery fires

To minimize the risk of battery fires, experts recommend the following measures:

• Hochwertige Geräte wählen.
• Regelmäßige Wartung und Inspektion des Akkus durchführen.
• Sichere Lagerung an trockenen Orten, geschützt vor extremen Temperaturen.
• Nur empfohlene Ladegeräte verwenden und Akkus unter Aufsicht laden.
• Bei längerer Nichtbenutzung den Zustand des Akkus von Fachpersonal überprüfen lassen.
• Schulungen zur sicheren Handhabung in Betracht ziehen.
• Im Brandfall geeignete Löschmittel bereithalten und die Feuerwehr alarmieren.

The increasing number of e-scooters and their use brings with it responsible maintenance practices and education about fire safety. Every user is required to actively contribute to security.