Jaguar Land Rover issued a notice to I-PACE customers warning that some vehicles could be a potential fire safety risk due to thermal overload in the battery, with more than 26,000 vehicles in the UK thought to be affected. Vehicles up to the 2018 model year have already undergone previous software updates, but field evidence shows there is still a risk. The company has urged owners to park away from buildings and charge their cars outside until they get an interim repair that restricts the maximum charge to 90%.
Drivers claim they have been given no indication as to when a permanent fix will be available. Owner experiences highlight growing safety concerns and communication issues. Kim Armstrong, a fire safety engineer and I-PACE owner, won't let his grandchildren in his car over safety concerns, and his insurance company told him they would not cover any damage caused by a battery fire.
I'm driving around in a vehicle that is at risk of fire, danger to me, danger to others, and with possible structural defects.
David, an I-PACE owner, only learned about the issue after seeing it on social media. Andrew Parker, another I-PACE owner, says the issue is the latest of multiple problems he has had with the battery, and his car has undergone 18 months of work at the dealership since purchase in 2023. It remains unknown whether any fires or injuries have actually occurred due to this specific battery issue.
Because of my job, I understand the balance of risk. I don't put my grandchildren in the car. I'm sceptical about charging it at work, because it's an underground car park.
If you had a vehicle next to a building with the thermal capacity of any of the batteries in these vehicles, the fire service would struggle to put the batteries out.