Commentary: Should E-bikes Be Banned in the Prague Metro?

The market for electric scooters, skateboards, unicycles, or one-wheelers is, by contrast, absolutely negligible—far more fragmented and qualitatively problematic.

E-bikes in the Czech Republic: High-quality, tested, and growing in popularity

We have the advantage of being a cycling nation, and the e-bikes sold in the Czech Republic are—unlike other micromobility vehicles—of relatively high quality. The average price of an e-bike in Germany last year was €2,650, while in the Czech Republic it was around €2,000 (about 50,000 CZK), despite the industry facing difficulties and many products being sold at significant discounts. E-bikes in this price range come equipped with branded batteries that must pass rigorous tests under the battery standard EN 50604 and the electric bike standard EN 15194.

Battery safety ensured by standards

These tests include demanding trials for vibration, impact, drops, pressure resistance, and short circuits. For example, an e-bike battery must survive ten drops from a height of 1.2 meters onto a hard surface without damage. The battery is also protected against short circuits and overcharging, and must have sufficient IP-rated water resistance. Of course, even a high-quality battery can, in theory, cause a fire. And that does happen—there have been documented fires caused by other electronics like laptops, mobile phones, etc. However, according to long-term data from fire departments in various European countries, 80% of such battery fires occur during charging—not during transport.

The real risk vs. responsible use

On one hand, I can understand the fear that lithium batteries provoke. I’ve been running an e-bike service for over 17 years, and of course I’ve encountered battery fires a few times over that period. As far as I recall, it always involved either a damaged product or a malfunction in the electronics during charging.

The metro substitutes for missing infrastructure in the city centre

For me personally—and, I believe, for many other Prague residents—the Prague metro, which allows the transport of bicycles (including e-bikes), has partly compensated for the lack of cycling infrastructure in the city centre. I often use the metro when travelling across the city by bike, specifically to avoid the “traffic armageddon” in the centre.

If such a ban were to be introduced, it would also be extremely difficult to enforce, since on many modern (electric) bikes it’s visually impossible to tell whether they have a battery or not. Modern mechanical bikes today often include lithium rechargeable batteries in electronic gear shifters, GPS modules, or lighting systems. Would those be banned too?

Bans aren’t the answer – User responsibility is better

Rather than blanket bans and complicated enforcement, I would recommend that Prague’s Public Transit Company introduce a system of responsibility for the owners of electronic devices brought into the metro. I dare say that in 98% of cases where fires occur, the cause is either a low-quality product or gross neglect of maintenance by the user.

Survey: Do You Ever Ride the Metro with a Bike?

Yes, with a regular bike
Yes, with an e-bike
No

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