10:07 am, August 3, 2022
BMW has sent out a recall for its iX and i4 electric vehicles because of a risk of the batteries bursting into flames.
For now, a total of 83 vehicles manufactured between November 22, 2021 and July 30, 2022 are part of the recall.
It comprises the 2022 BMW i4 eDrive40, i4 M50, 2022-2023 BMW iX xDrive50 and iX M60 models, with 83 cars currently part of the recall notice.
Together with US agency the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, BMW is saying owners shouldn’t charge or drive them, or park them indoors or near vehicles and buildings.
The recall follows an investigation by BMW prompted by incidents in the US and abroad, which discovered that cathode plates in a cell could have been damaged during manufacture.
If debris from the cathode works loose in the cell, that could lead to a short-circuit and then a fire.
According to BMW, the suspect cells were from Samsung SDI, but there have been no known accidents or injuries so far.
Owners are being urged to get the battery pack replaced with a new one at a dealership.
According to Motor1.com, it’s the second recall in as many months for the EVs after a possible software glitch was found in the driver’s display while in valet mode.
The news comes as BMW Group reported a 34.3 per cent drop in pre-tax profit to €3.929bn (£3.29bn) for April to June – the second quarter of its financial year.
It sold 563,187 vehicles during the quarter, which was nearly 20 per cent down on the 702,441 that it shifted during the corresponding quarter in 2021.
However, of those deliveries, the EV share went up by five percentage points to 16.8 per cent, equalling a 42.4 per cent rise.
Within the delivery figures, Rolls-Royce was down 2.6 per cent to 1,567, and Mini was down 21.6 per cent to 65,188.
