Urgent warning to EV drivers as two popular electric motors are recalled over ‘fire risk’

TWO popular electric vehicles have been recalled due to a “fire risk” caused by a serious battery fault.

Two major manufacturers joined forces and urged drivers to have their cars checked because they could burst into flames.

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Porsche and Audi, both part of the VW Group, warned their customers that some of their models had a serious problem that could put them at risk.

In independent recalls, the sister companies announced that a select number of vehicles from Porsche’s Taycan series and Audi’s E-Tron series were at risk.

This was attributed to a sealing problem on the battery, which allowed water to enter the battery over time.

In separate statements, both explained: “Under certain circumstances, there is a possibility that liquid can penetrate the high-voltage battery over time.”

According to the manufacturer, this can result in a yellow warning symbol appearing in the “instrument cluster”, which changes to red if ignored.

If a large amount of liquid gets into the battery, it could cause a fire.

Most current electric vehicle batteries are made with large amounts of lithium.

The light metal element reacts extremely reactively with water and can lead to explosions or fires upon contact.

Electric vehicle fires are notoriously destructive and difficult to extinguish because they cannot be extinguished with water due to the elements involved.

Last week, a fire broke out in five cars in the Sydney Airport car park after a faulty battery reportedly sparked it.

Photos from the crime scene show twisted metal and burnt car bodies, while shards of glass litter the ground.

And last month, 2,700 cars were melted on a cargo ship after a suspected electric vehicle fire caused millions of dollars in damage.

A complete list of model variants affected by the recall can be found below.

The recall takes effect on October 31st. Customers are asked to take their car to an authorized dealer to have it tested.

If a leak is detected, the battery is replaced with a new one sealed with a different material.

It is illegal for dealers to sell a car while a recall is ongoing.

A Porsche spokesman said: “The safety of our customers and the quality of our vehicles are our top priority.”

“After thorough testing, we discovered that in a few cases there is a possibility of moisture entering the car battery.

“In this case, the driver is first warned by a yellow warning light and then by a red warning symbol on the vehicle display.

“For this reason, with the utmost caution, we are planning a recall of affected cars built between September 22, 2022 and August 3, 2023 to test the battery seal.”

They added that they have not yet received any reports of fires related to this issue.

Audi has been contacted for comment.

This came after the boss of a major car manufacturer admitted a significant “challenge” with its own brand of electric vehicles.

Meanwhile, an electric vehicle owner explained why he switched back to gasoline, saying it was better and cheaper.

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