A Volvo EX30 electric car caught alight and was destroyed in Johannesburg on Thursday afternoon, with no injuries reported.
The incident is believed to be related to a global recall of the EX30 due to a fire risk. Volvo Cars announced in February that it will recall more than 40,000 units of its electric compact SUV because their battery packs risk overheating. The recall involves replacing modules in the high-voltage battery packs.
A total of 40,323 EX30 Single-Motor Extended Range and Twin-Motor Performance cars with these high-voltage cells are affected, said the Swedish carmaker, which is owned by China’s Geely.
Volvo was in the process of contacting the owners of all affected cars to advise them of next steps. The recall campaign affects 372 Volvo EX30s in South Africa with all corrective work to be carried out at no cost to the consumer.
Volvo Car South Africa sent the following message to local EX30 owners in February: “At present, a permanent technical solution has not yet been released. Please rest assured that this matter remains a high priority and all relevant teams are working diligently to implement an effective resolution as soon as possible
“To maintain safety, we kindly request all customers to limit their vehicle’s maximum charge level to 70% until a fix becomes available.”
Volvo Car South Africa MD Grant Locke told TimesLIVE he had spoken to the owner of the burnt-out EX30 following the fire incident in Bedfordview on Thursday, and confirmed that there were no injuries.
He said it was the first incident of an EX30 catching fire in South Africa, and that the cause would be investigated.
The EX30 is one of South Africa’s best-selling EVs. It was launched locally in 2024 as Volvo’s most affordable EV range, with a starting price of R835,500. Last year the line-up was joined by the adventure-focused EX30 Cross Country with raised suspension and all-wheel drive.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.