On July 12, CCTV News reported investigating and exposing the safety hazards of the "modified batteries" of electric two-wheeled vehicles, and specifically pointed out that illegal modification is an important cause of safety accidents. In some electric two-wheeled vehicle markets, some "workshops" provide illegal modification services such as replacing large-capacity batteries under the banner of "improving performance". These modified vehicles are very likely to cause safety accidents such as spontaneous combustion.
In order to improve vehicle safety, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and other five departments jointly released the latest version of the "Electric Bicycle Safety Technical Specifications", which will be officially implemented on September 1, 2025. The important adjustment in this revision is to increase the maximum quality limit of the electric bicycle using lead-acid batteries from 55kg to 63kg, and requires that the total quality of the plastic parts used in electric bicycles should not exceed 5.5% of the quality of the vehicle. It is encouraged to use light alloy instead of plastic materials to reduce the degree of harm of fire accidents and further ensure the safety of consumers' car use.
On July 12, CCTV News reported investigating and exposing the safety hazards of the "modified batteries" of electric two-wheeled vehicles, and specifically pointed out that illegal modification is an important cause of safety accidents. In some electric two-wheeled vehicle markets, some "workshops" provide illegal modification services such as replacing large-capacity batteries under the banner of "improving performance". These modified vehicles are very likely to cause safety accidents such as spontaneous combustion.
In order to improve vehicle safety, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and other five departments jointly released the latest version of the "Electric Bicycle Safety Technical Specifications", which will be officially implemented on September 1, 2025. The important adjustment in this revision is to increase the maximum quality limit of the electric bicycle using lead-acid batteries from 55kg to 63kg, and requires that the total quality of the plastic parts used in electric bicycles should not exceed 5.5% of the quality of the vehicle. It is encouraged to use light alloy instead of plastic materials to reduce the degree of harm of fire accidents and further ensure the safety of consumers' car use.
Previously, lead-acid batteries have long been in the mainstream of the electric two-wheeled vehicle market due to their cost advantages, mature technology and strong stability. The new national standard adjusted the quality upper limit of lead-acid battery models, which is not only a recognition of its safety performance, but also a pragmatic consideration of the use environment of electric two-wheeled vehicles in my country.
"Illegal modified batteries" have caused fire accidents to surge and become the focus of prevention and control
News reports show that as an important means of transportation for people's livelihood in my country, electric two-wheeled vehicles have entered thousands of households, with social ownership exceeding 350 million. However, with the rapid development of the industry, fire safety risks are becoming increasingly prominent. Data from the National Fire and Rescue Bureau shows that electric two-wheeler fire accidents have shown a significant upward trend in the past three years, surged from 18,000 in 2021 to 25,000 in 2023, an increase of nearly 40%.
In-depth analysis of the causes of fires, electrical failures are the main causes. Experts from the Beijing Fire and Rescue Bureau pointed out that about 90% of electric two-wheeled vehicles are caused by electrical problems, of which battery failures account for as much as 70% to 80%. In particular, illegally modified batteries have caused the surge in electric two-wheeled vehicles to have become the key target of prevention and control.
"Illegal modification of batteries" and other hidden dangers, and industry regulations are imperative
In recent years, a trend of illegal modification of electric two-wheeled vehicles has emerged among some young people. The dangerous modification behavior of "Ghost Fire Boys" is by no means an isolated case. They drive modified vehicles to pursue excitement through dangerous driving methods such as "head-up" and "speeding", but seriously ignore the hidden safety hazards behind them.
In order to improve battery life or vehicle speed, large-capacity batteries or modify circuits are illegally replaced, resulting in the battery not matching the original system of the vehicle. This modification is very likely to cause problems such as overcharge and short circuit of the battery, which not only increases the risk of fire, but also causes the vehicle to lose control due to unstable voltage, affecting road traffic safety. In addition, the modified battery performance is unstable, and it may suddenly lose power or accelerate abnormally, further aggravate dangerous driving behavior.
It is worth noting that in order to make huge profits, some underground modification "black workshops" sell inferior lithium batteries and ladder batteries at low prices through online platforms, and even provide illegal modification services. These batteries are often unknown from the source or are dismantled and renovated by used power batteries. Guangdong 315 program exposed the gray industrial chain of ladder batteries, which poses serious safety hazards. Because inferior batteries are incompatible with the original system or cannot withstand high power loads, they are very likely to cause overheating, short circuits or even spontaneous combustion.
The investigation also found that the second-hand electric two-wheeler market has serious battery safety risks. More than half of the batteries equipped with second-hand electric two-wheelers have problems with aging, performance degradation or illegal modification. In the new national standard, the requirements for tamper-proof design of battery packs have been strengthened to curb illegal modifications from the source. However, a large number of illegally modified vehicles are still circulated in the second-hand market, including many cases of disassembly protection devices, illegal expansion of capacity or mixed batteries, which greatly increases the risk of spontaneous combustion and short circuit.
The problem of illegal battery modification has become a major hidden danger that threatens public safety. Low-quality lithium batteries, refurbished staircase batteries and illegal expansion and modification are constantly aggravating the risks of fire and explosion. To solve this dilemma, we must take a multi-pronged approach. We must not only crack down on the underground modification industry chain and block the circulation channels of inferior batteries, but also strengthen the hard constraints on battery safety by the new national standards and eliminate illegal modification space from the source. At the same time, consumers need to improve their safety awareness, purchase and use cars from formal channels. Only by forming a governance force with the participation of the whole society can we truly build a solid line of safety defense for electric two-wheeled vehicles and protect the lives and property of the people. This is not only an urgent security issue at present, but also a must for the sustainable development of the industry.
