Fires connected to e-vehicles in Surrey have increased by 640 percent in the last three years.

Our exclusive data, under the Freedom of Information Act, reveals that in total, there were 134 fires caused by e-vehicles from 2021 to 2024.

An electric vehicle (EV) is a type of vehicle that is powered entirely or partially by electricity instead of gasoline or diesel. It uses electric motors and batteries to drive and includes bikes, e-scooters and e-cars.

Only 10 of these EV fires occurred in 2021, whereas 2024 saw 74 EV fire-related incidents.

A spokesman for Surrey Fire and Rescue Service said: “In the last five years we’ve responded to 135 electric vehicle incidents.

"While the causes vary, the lithium batteries that power many of these vehicles can be a fire risk if used incorrectly.

“To stay safe and reduce the risk of fire, always use the original charger, never charge overnight and follower manufacturer’s instructions.”

The spokesman said for advice on how to safely charge the lithium batteries that power many household electric vehicles, visit: Lithium batteries - Surrey County Council.

In total, over the course of the three years, the month with the most reported incidents is May, with 19, and the months with the least reported incidents are January and February with seven each.

Estelle Miller, Co Founder of EV Experts Surrey, explained: “In terms of charging safely, as with anything electric (car, kettle, washing machine, etc.) it is important to seat the plug correctly and follow manufacturer's guidelines, particularly when charging from a domestic three-pin plug."

Of the incidents recorded, 109 do not have a specific recorded reason for the EV-related fire, although five of the incidents were caused by a fault in equipment.

A further six were caused by the vehicle running out of charge and faulty leads. Three were caused deliberately, and two were due to crashes.

The leading cause, however, was overheating, found to be the reason for the fires in 12 of the cases.

Estelle continued: “There are many similarities between ICE vehicles and EV fires, including how they start and are managed. The top three causes of vehicle fire are arson, electrical fault and accidents – which impact all vehicles. Some EV fires only affect the body, and these are treated like any vehicle fire.

“Most EV fires start within the vehicle. Some then spread to the high voltage (HV) traction battery used for driving. Only 4 percent of EV fires were caused by an external fire spreading to the EV.”

It is important to remember that any vehicle fire should be reported immediately to 999.