09 Sep 24
You may think it odd that I’ve included this in your landlord regulations news. One thing your editor is very aware of as a certified Fire Risk Assessor is the massive problem of fires caused by rechargeable batteries. Charging points close to a building is a danger because cars far too frequently catch fire explosively and can set your building on fire.
In rental properties the even bigger problem is e-bike and e-scooter battery explosions or fires which we’ve covered before. Please read the following and stay educated on this massive risk. Ed
Shocking statistics of electric scooter and car battery fires
Higher power e-bikes to cause even more fires. Fire brigade warns landlords and tenants
Shocking 160% increase in EV and e-scooter battery fires
E-bike and E-Scooter massive fire risk exposed by London Fire Brigade
Getting electric vehicle charging points right
Mini has issued a global recall of its Cooper electric model due to a potential battery issue.
The safety recall could affect as many as 140,000 vehicles worldwide, with cars already on UK roads included.
BMW said that a problem in the battery system could lead to overheating, adding “A vehicle fire, even when the vehicle is parked, cannot be ruled out.” However, it emphasised that there were no reports of any accidents or injuries related to the recall.
Mini could not confirm how many UK vehicles were included in the recall but said affected owners would be contacted directly.
A Mini spokesperson told EV Powered: “In August 2024, the BMW Group issued a worldwide safety related recall following in-house quality testing which detected a potential leak in the housing of the high-voltage battery of affected Mini Electric (F56 BEV) models. This may result in moisture entering the battery and triggering an insulation fault.
“Affected customers in the UK will be informed via letter and should contact their Mini service partner immediately.”
Affected car’s software contains a diagnostic function which can recognise a malfunction and alert the driver via the car’s infotainment system. BMW asked any driver who receive the message to visit their dealership
Last week, the company revealed that it had delayed delivery of some cars to allow it to rectify the issue before they left the factory.
