HUNDREDS of luxury electric sports cars have been recalled due to an issue with their battery protection that could spark high-voltage fires.
The recall reportedly affects all variants of the Porsche Taycan electric vehicles sold in Australia from 2022-2023.
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The urgent recall affects over 230 of the high-end electric Porsche’s that are on the roads in Australia.
They are some of the most expensive EV’s on the market in the country, with prices ranging from £69,335 to £190,310.
The news comes only weeks after horror footage emerged of what appears to be a Porsche Taycan bursting into flames in the middle of a busy street.
The silver electric vehicle was seen ablaze at a crossroad packed with rush-hour commuters in Chongqing, southwestern China.
Firefighters were filmed frantically dousing the motor as stunned drivers watched on.
Eyewitnesses reported suddenly hearing a loud noise before they spotted the thick smoke billowing from the street.
The decision to recall the make in Australia was reportedly led by the transport bureau’s warning that a fault in the battery cover could allow water in, the Mail reports.
“Due to a manufacturing issue, there is a possibility of insufficient sealing between the high-voltage battery casing and battery cover,’ the recall said.
“If a sufficient amount of moisture enters the high voltage battery, arcing can occur which increases the risk of fire causing injury or death to vehicle occupants, other road users or bystanders.”
Owners of Porsche Taycan’s have been told to organise an inspection and possible repair of their car.
In September, a damaged lithium-ion battery removed from an EV caught fire in a Sydney airport and destroyed four other vehicles.
Photos from the scene show twisted metal and scorched bodywork, while broken glass litters the ground.
Firefighters also were forced to battle a blaze in New South Wales after a Tesla Model 3 caught on fire after it was damaged by debris falling from a truck.
And in August, 2700 cars on a cargo ship were melted after a suspected EV fire caused millions in damage.
In mid-September, Porsche and Audi, which are both owned by the VW Group, warned UK customers that some of their models have a serious issue which could put them in danger.
Echoing the issues in Australia, the issues were down to a sealant-related issue on the battery, allowing water into it over time.
Porsche said in a statement that they have yet to receive any reports of fires relating to this issue.
The recall comes into effect on October 31, with customers asked to take their car to an authorised dealer to be tested.
Most current EV batteries are made using large amounts of lithium.
The light metal element is extremely reactive with water and can produce explosions or fires when the two come into contact.
EV fires are notoriously destructive and hard to put out as, given the elements involved, water cannot be used to extinguish them.
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