What You Should Know About Lithium-ion Battery Risks

Lithium-ion batteries are great for a whole host of items found around your house.

From e-bikes to power tools to cell phones, these potent power sources fuel so many of the electric devices we’ve come to rely on. However, they are not without risk. Misused, damaged and faulty batteries can release toxic, flammable gas which can lead to destructive fires.

And a surprising number of Americans aren’t familiar with the hazards the devices can pose if they’re not treated properly, an ERIE survey found. Check out a few of the findings below as well as some facts and best practices for operating and caring for lithium-ion batteries.

Whether you have lithium-ion batteries or not, ERIE can provide coverage for your home that protects the lifestyle you value.

Survey Methodology  

This survey was conducted online by Falls & Co. on behalf of Erie Insurance from Feb 21 through Feb 24, 2025, among a nationally representative sample of 1,100 U.S. residents aged 18 and older. Falls established the sampling quotas, designed the questionnaire, tabulated the survey responses, and managed the overall project. Falls used SightX (New York, NY) to field the survey via the internet, including mobile devices to U.S. panels who met the key demographic criteria.

The results are statistically weighted for age and U.S. Region to align the sample distribution with U.S. population characteristics per 2023 ACS 1-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau and 2022 estimates from the USDA Economic Research Service. This technique was used to mitigate the effects of oversampling that can occur when using online survey panels.