This marks the third e-bike shop to open in the East Village in 2024. (And with each arrival, we hear from some nervous neighbors who have concerns about possible fires and crowds of delivery workers.)
The storefront was previously Los Tacos NYC and a barista-training space for 787 Coffee.
8 comments:
These stores need much tighter regulation. The concentration of that many li-ion batteries in one place is dangerous.
Wow. Just, WOW
I think the fires have always been from either uncertified or even home made battery packs where people manually wire battery cells together. I don't believe that we've had any issues with a legit UL certified battery for ebikes in the city yet.
Buildings (residential and business) are banning ALL ebikes over fears of the battery fires, but that's a real shame because micromobility brought about by escooters and ebikes has really been a gamechanger for living car free in nyc imo.
These uncertified batteries might bring the whole great experiment down in literal flames. The messaging and regulations should really address that UL certified batteries are fine and safe.
@XEO: The messaging could not be clearer, but people seem not to care.
I guess it's not enough that multiple people have already died in fires caused by e-bike batteries, nor that ALL the tenants in some buildings have lost ALL their possessions & have nowhere to live - as long as the delivery guys get what they need.
The priorities here are absolutely wrong, and I feel terrible for EVERYONE who lives in that building b/c they can't go to bed at night and know if they'll still be alive (or have a home) the next morning. And that is true for them 365 nights a year.
I also wonder what the insurance rate for renter's insurance is if there is this kind of business in the building. Probably makes you un-insurable.
The whole idea of "riding a bike" has become perverted, because these "bikes" are really little motorcycles.
I would be horrified if an e-bike shop moved into my building. Are there practical steps the residents can take, such as requesting a Fire Dept inspection to make sure all the batteries are UL listed and that the battery charging set-ups are safe? Any elected officials care to investigate/ help galvanize City agencies for help? The residents and neighbors need to take the lead, unfortunately.
i love trendy little buzzwords like micromobility, they really come in handy in the never ending war on cars. Hey look at me, I'm micromobiling on the sidewalk!
eBikes are here to stay. As mentioned above I think the fires have been from amateur tinkering (if someone has real research, not anecdote, on this publish away). The hordes of delivery workers are here to stay as long the market is there for inexpensive delivery. Licensing of electric motorcycles will eventually happen ... maybe ... someday ... different City Hall?
I don't own an eBike and don't have food delivered. I'd enjoy an eScooter but current situation makes that not possible. This new eTransport reality makes the streets crazy but so do the automobiles, we just grew up with them so it seems "natural". And before cars the streets were covered with dead horses - and so the city changes.
"affordable delivery" ahahahahaha. Good one.
e-bikes and lithium ion batteries are here so long as global supply chains supply the minerals and materials to make them. That might look different in 12 months, or 5 years. Who knows? Exciting times!
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