Jaguar Land Rover recalling I-Pace over fire risks

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is recalling nearly 6,400 I-Pace electric vehicles in the US due to fire risks because the high-voltage electric vehicle (EV) battery may overheat.

The recall also affects SA, where JLR is recalling the I-Pace to perform a software update for the traction battery.

“We will contact affected clients and ask them to take their vehicle to a Jaguar authorised retailer, who will carry out the required inspection and download, free of charge,” says a JLR SA spokesperson.

JLR, which is owned by India’s Tata Motors, on Wednesday said the battery energy control module software will be updated and battery modules will be replaced as necessary in certain 2019-2024 model year vehicles in the US.

JLR said its engineering team has not determined whether the battery pack assembly is defective or a cause of reported thermal overload conditions, but out of an abundance of caution decided to recall the vehicles.

The carmaker has reports of eight US vehicle fires but no accidents or injuries, according to a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

JLR launched its electric I-Pace in 2018, but has not launched any other zero-emission models since. Last month, the company said it would invest £15bn (R366bn) over the next five years in EVs and promised on Wednesday to deliver a new electric Jaguar in 2025.

The I-Pace luxury SUV was launched in SA in 2019, the third fully electric vehicle to go on local sale after the Nissan Leaf and BMW i3. It was SA’s 2020 Car of the Year. With Reuters