Jaguar is recalling all its US I-Pace electric vehicles (EV) due to battery fire risk. Owners are advised to park outside and charge their vehicles outdoors to prevent potential house fires..Jaguar’s potential battery problem is similar to the recall of the Chevy Bolt EV, which also had vehicle batteries catch on fire. .READ MORE POWER OUTAGE: Sask town pulls plug on EV charging stations after public outcry.After four separate incidents of $110,000 I-Pace electric car batteries catching on fire, concerns about their similarity to the fires that led to the recall of Chevy Bolt EV vehicles. .It was discovered that both cars use LG Energy battery cells, which were identified as the source of the problem in the Chevy Bolt EV fires..In 2019, the I-Pace won World Vehicle of the Year, World Vehicle Design of the Year and World Green Vehicle..Considering the relatively small number of I-Pace cars Jaguar has sold, the four fires are “statistically significant,” even more so than the Chevy Bolt EV fires. Despite the concerns, it took Jaguar a year to initiate the recall. .Jaguar is now recalling all “2019-2024 MY Jaguar I-PACE vehicles built at the Graz Vehicle Assembly Plant from June 5, 2018.”.Jaguar's recall notice states that the issue is related to a thermal overload. This could lead to the high-voltage traction battery burning or smoking..“Vehicles have experienced thermal overload, which may show as smoke or fire, that may occur underneath the vehicle where the high voltage traction battery is located,” said the recall notice..To fix the problem, Jaguar is looking at a software-based solution similar to what Chevy did with the Bolt EV. .The fix uses the software to monitor the status of the battery pack and restrict the battery charging capacity to 75% if any risk is detected..“Recalled vehicles will receive an update to the Battery Energy Control Module software that will monitor the battery pack assembly operational status that indicates where the battery contains conditions which may lead to thermal overload condition,” said the recall notice..Jaguar said that the affected battery module or pack would be replaced at no charge to the owner if required.
