The Hazards
- Damaged, defective, or non-specific batteries can cause batteries to overheat, catch fire, or explode.
- Lithium-ion battery fires give off toxic gases and they burn extremely hot.
What is the difference between Battery-Assisted Vehicle Batteries and Laptop Batteries?
Battery-assisted vehicles, or motorized micro-mobility devices have been responsible for deaths, multiple injuries, explosions and numerous fires across the country. Unlike a laptop computer battery, these lithium-ion batteries have a high discharge current capacity requirement, because the energy demand is more significant and less controlled. When these batteries are damaged, exceed the precise charging process and do not discontinue charging, they cause fires and explosions that could overwhelm the building fire safety systems and generate hazardous gasses such as carbon monoxide and extremely flammable hydrogen, placing occupants at significant risk.
The risk of fire is much higher with battery-assisted vehicles which include but are not limited to e-bikes, e-hoverboards, e-scooters, and e-skateboards.
Due to the increased risk of fire associated with battery-assisted vehicles, Amherst College DOES NOT allow them on campus.
If you need to use a battery-assisted vehicle, such as a wheelchair, please seek written permission from an appropriate office.