Volvo Cars is facing legal action in Thailand after two fires involving its Volvo EX30 occurred months after the company issued a global recall linked to battery fire risks.
Thailand’s Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) has filed a civil lawsuit against Volvo following the incidents, according to local authorities and Reuters.
The first fire reportedly occurred in Bangkok around March 25, while the second took place on May 15 when an EX30 was charging at a customer’s home. Authorities said the second fire spread to a nearby Ford Ranger and also damaged part of the property.
Volvo had announced a recall in February covering more than 40,000 EX30 electric vehicles globally over concerns related to battery safety. As part of temporary precautionary measures, the automaker advised owners not to charge affected vehicles beyond 70% battery capacity until replacement battery packs became available.
According to the recall details, both vehicles involved in the Thailand fires had reportedly been charged above the recommended temporary limit.
However, Thai consumer protection authorities said the explanation was insufficient and questioned the delay in implementing permanent repairs.
A total of 1,668 EX30 vehicles in Thailand are affected by the recall. Volvo said replacement battery packs sourced from China began arriving in the country and installations started on May 22.
The OCPB has also requested clarification from Volvo regarding compensation plans for customers who were unable to use their vehicles normally during the three-month period between the recall announcement and availability of replacement batteries.
Speaking to Reuters, EX30 owner Tanchanok Nowsuwan said many customers would prefer refunds rather than battery replacements.
The recall affects both the Single-Motor Extended Range and Twin-Motor Performance versions of the EX30.
In a statement, Volvo Car Thailand said replacing the battery pack in each affected vehicle would take approximately three days.
“Volvo Car Thailand would like to express our sincere concern regarding the two recent fire incidents involving Volvo EX30 vehicles,” the company said. “We have closely monitored and thoroughly investigated each case and have promptly provided appropriate support and remediation to those affected.”
The Volvo EX30 is Volvo’s smallest fully electric SUV and is offered with rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations. Depending on the variant, the model delivers up to 428 horsepower and an estimated WLTP driving range of up to 480 kilometres. The EX30 is built on Geely’s SEA platform and supports DC fast charging capable of charging the battery from 10% to 80% in around 25 minutes under suitable conditions.