Recalled EV? Automakers shouldn’t get to depend it towards fleetwide gas financial system • TechCrunch

In February, I acquired a letter from Chrysler saying that our 2017 Pacifica Hybrid was topic to a brand new recall. A number of of the minivans had inexplicably caught hearth and, given the proof, the automaker suspected it may need to do with the high-voltage battery pack. The recall discover instructed us to not recharge the automobile or park it close to a home or storage — or another constructing, for that matter.

The repair? The corporate didn’t have one nor may it inform me when it would.

Having coated remembers like this earlier than, I figured we’d be in it for the lengthy haul. And I used to be proper. Just a few days in the past, almost eight months after the recall first went out, Stellantis, Chrysler’s guardian firm, stated it had a repair. There could be a software program replace and sellers would examine and substitute any suspect batteries.

Troublingly, the automaker nonetheless hasn’t discovered what prompted the dozen fires, nevertheless it stated the fixes would stop them from occurring.

Sure, I’m glad that Chrysler and Stellantis have a treatment (which they’re legally obliged to offer) that (I hope) will remove a really severe hearth threat. Clearly, I’d desire if the treatment had been additionally accompanied by a proof for the blazes — I wouldn’t wish to be taught firsthand if the forthcoming repair doesn’t deal with the trigger. However Stellantis assured me that it has been validated to deal with the circumstances beneath which fires have occurred.

Because the power transition continues, there are going to be bumps within the highway, and I perceive that it’s inconceivable to design a wholly problem-free automobile. However remembers that stop EVs and plug-in hybrids from charging end in further air pollution. Possibly there needs to be penalties for that.