4 mins Read 
17/06/2025 In the latest Watts Trending episode, Alex Stapleton explores the latest challenges and innovations shaping the future of battery technology.
E-Bike Battery Fires: UK fire services responded to over 210 e-bike and e-scooter fires in 2024, a staggering rise from just two incidents in 2017. The main causes? Cheap batteries and unsafe charging. Alex highlights the urgent need for better battery standards and consumer awareness.
Fast-Charging Electric Buses: Daimler’s new eCitaro electric bus features high-capacity NMC4 batteries, delivering up to 500 km of range and fast-charging speeds of up to 300 kW. With smart features arriving in 2026, this is a major step forward for sustainable public transport.
Solid-State Battery Innovation: BMW is testing solid-state batteries in a modified i7. These safer, high-energy cells expand during charging. So much so that the vehicle’s design had to adapt to the battery itself, it’s a glimpse into the next generation of electric vehicle engineering.
About Alex Stapleton: Alex is Chief Commercial Officer at Alexander Battery Technologies, with over 15 years’ experience in the battery industry, including senior positions at VARTA AG. He specialises in custom lithium-ion battery packs, energy storage systems, and OEM power solutions.
Story 2: https://batteryindustry.net/daimler-buses-unveil-ecitaro-with-nmc4-batteries/
TRANSCRIPT:
E-bikes and e-scooters are setting fire to homes more often than most people realise
Hello and welcome back to Watts Trending your go-to news source for all the latest in battery tech I’m your host Alex Stapleton and today we’ve got exploding ebikes a bus that charges faster than a phone and a BMW that grows while you drive it Let’s jump straight in
So for our first story today it was recently revealed in a report that UK fire services responded to over 210 ebike and e- scooter fires last year in 2024 That’s up from just two incidents back in 2017 over a 10,000% increase E-Bikes and E-Scooters are setting fire to homes more often than most people realize And the main culprit cheap batteries and unsafe charging habits So next time skip that cheap charger and your battery and your home will thank you for it
So for our second story today Daimler just rolled out the upgraded eCitaro electric bus which packs powerful NMC4 batteries with up to 111 kW of capacity which is enough to reach up to 500 km on a single charge It can fast charge as well up to 300 kilowatt hours meaning less downtime when it’s plugged in and more time on the road Starting in 2026 these buses will also get smart features like geo fencing and route-based battery management to keep batteries healthier and rides smoother It’s like your bus just got a brain upgrade And honestly public transport’s future is looking seriously electric
And finally today BMW is putting solid-state batteries to the test in a modified i7 These batteries ditch liquid electrolytes for a solid material making them safer and packed with more energy Here’s the kicker Because these batteries physically expand while charging BMW had to modify the car to flex with the battery So yes the battery actually moves inside the car
So in conclusion whether it’s cheap batteries setting fire to your favourite E-Bike buses that charge quicker than your phone or an electric car that flexes when it drives one thing is for certain Battery packs are paving the way for the future of technology
That’s all we have time for on this episode of Watts Trending. Thanks for watching, I’m Alex Stapleton. Goodnight
