Nearly 1,700 Made-in-China EVs Recalled Over Programming Issue

Chinese automobile manifactuare Great Wall Motor (GWM) displays the new compact electric vehicle "ORA Good Cat 03" during the 30th Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) in Tangerang on Aug. 10, 2023. (Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP via Getty Images)

Close to 1,700 electric vehicles (EVs) manufactured in China will be recalled in Australia due to a programming issue that could lead to an electric arc, posing a potential risk of injury.

Great Wall Motor (GWM), a Chinese automobile manufacturer headquartered in Hebei, will recall its GWM Ora 2023 in Australia.

A total of 1,659 units are impacted by the recall notice, published on the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communication, and the Arts website on Dec. 4.

An electric arc between the charging plug and vehicle can occur and risk injury or death, the recall notice states.

“Due to a programming issue, if the operator removes the charging cable without cancelling the charge, an electrical arc between the charging plug and the vehicle may occur,” the notice states.

“If an electrical arc comes into contact with the operator or bystanders, it will increase the risk of serious injury or death.”

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GWM said it would contact all impacted owners in writing, requesting they make an appointment with their GWM dealer who will update the vehicle software for free.

The car costs $42,583 (US$28,047) for Victorian residents, with the price varying slightly by state, according to the GWM Australia and New Zealand website. The car can travel up to 420 kilometres (260 miles) and has a seven year warranty.

Mazda Recalls Nearly 9,000 BT-50’s

Meanwhile, Mazda Australia is recalling nearly 9,000 diesel engine utes produced between 2021 and 2023.

A total of 8,936 BT-50 (TF) 3.0 litre variants will be called back because of an issue that can cause fuel leakage and a vehicle fire.

“Due to a manufacturing issue, the fuel hose may chafe against the engine oil level bracket and become damaged. If this occurs, fuel may leak in the presence of an external ignition source resulting in a vehicle fire,” the recall notice states.

“A vehicle fire could increase the risk of injury or death to vehicle occupants, other road users or bystanders and/or damage to property.”

Mazda will contact affected customers and advise them to present their vehicle to a Mazda dealer to have the fuel hose replaced at no charge when parts are available.

On Nov. 28, a recall notice was also issued for 8,039 variants of the Isuzu D-Max 2021 to 2023 for the same reason. Again, the recall notice advised of the potential for a fuel leak that could cause a fire.

Nearly 30 recall notices have been issued involving multiple types of cars since Nov. 1, 2023.

Latest Car Sale Data

Meanwhile, electric vehicle sales in Australia have soared by more than 50,000 in the last 12 months, data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries states.

EV sales accounted for 7.7 percent of monthly vehicle sales in the month of November in Australia, compared to 7.2 percent of sales in the year to date.

An electric vehicle charging station in Irvine, Calif., on Nov. 28, 2023. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Battery EV sales have risen from 28,326 in November 2022 to 80,446 in November 2023, the stats show.  Comparatively, in 2022, only 33,410 electric vehicles were sold overall.

Car sales overall for all types of car, including electric, are on track to reach record levels in 2023, according to the data. So far this year, Australians have purchased more than 1.1 million cars.