Volkswagen recalls 73,000 electric cars over battery fire risk
Volkswagen is recalling nearly 73,000 electric cars worldwide, including about 10,000 in Germany, after finding battery cells that could overheat or catch fire, the company said.
Volkswagen is recalling nearly 73,000 electric cars worldwide over faulty battery cells that could catch fire in extreme cases, according to data published by Germany's federal motor transport authority, the KBA.
About 10,000 of the affected cars are in Germany, most from the ID range, the KBA said. The recall covers the ID.3, ID.4, ID.7 and ID.Buzz models built in certain periods between 2022 and 2025, as well as Cupra Born cars made by VW's Spanish subsidiary Cupra between 2022 and 2024.
Volkswagen said internal quality checks found that some battery cells did not meet quality standards because of a manufacturing fault at a supplier, affecting batteries made during a limited period. "In rare cases, this can lead to increased thermal stress in these batteries; in extreme situations, it could cause a fire," the company said.
As an immediate measure, Volkswagen is limiting charging on affected vehicles to a maximum of 80% until they are checked at an authorised garage. The company said battery modules may not need to be replaced, as a software update could be enough. Affected owners will be notified by letter.
It is VW's second battery-related recall this year: in March, VW and Cupra recalled more than 90,000 vehicles worldwide for the same reason, 28,000 of them in Germany. Separately, VW recalled more than five million vehicles globally in September over a corroding steering bolt.
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What we know
- Volkswagen is recalling nearly 73,000 electric cars worldwide over battery cells that could overheat or catch fire
- About 10,000 of the affected cars are in Germany, mostly ID-range models
- Models affected: ID.3, ID.4, ID.7, ID.Buzz and the Cupra Born
- No fires, injuries or deaths have been reported; charging is being capped at 80% as a precaution
Why it matters for Europe
It is the second Volkswagen recall this year over the same battery fault, after more than 90,000 cars were called in during March, and comes months after a separate global recall of over five million VW-group vehicles for a steering defect. The repeated recalls affect one of Europe's largest carmakers and its electric-vehicle range at a time when electric cars make up a growing share of new car sales.
Sources
Reported by 3 reports from 3 independent outlets in 2 countries.
- Știrile ProTV: Volkswagen recheamă în service aproape 73.000 de mașini electrice din cauza unor baterii defecte. Există risc de incendiu
- Digi24: Volkswagen recheamă în service peste 70.000 de automobile electrice: „În situaţii extreme, ar putea declanşa un incendiu”
- Tagesschau: VW ruft weltweit mehr als 70.000 E-Autos wegen Brandgefahr zurück
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Questions and answers
- Which Volkswagen models are affected?
- The ID.3, ID.4, ID.7 and ID.Buzz, along with the Cupra Born, built in certain periods between 2022 and 2025.
- Has anyone been hurt or has a car caught fire?
- No injuries, deaths or fires have been reported; Volkswagen says the fire risk applies only in rare, extreme cases.
- What should owners of affected cars do?
- Volkswagen is notifying owners by letter and capping charging at 80% until the cars are checked at an authorised garage; a software update may resolve the issue without replacing battery modules.
This article was written with AI assistance from 3 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.