Volvo faces civil action threat in Thailand over EX30 fires

Volvo Cars is facing potential legal action in Thailand after two new battery-related fires involving its EX30 electric SUV, increasing pressure on the company as it continues to deal with a global recall of the model, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

Reuters reported in February that Volvo would recall more than 40,000 EX30 vehicles and replace battery modules due to a defect that could cause battery packs to overheat and potentially catch fire.

Thailand’s consumer watchdog said on Tuesday that it would escalate the fire-risk complaints to an internal committee. This step could lead to civil action against Volvo Thailand and its dealers. The agency is currently seeking refunds plus interest for 45 complainants.

Officials noted that civil action is aimed at obtaining remedies rather than imposing criminal punishment.

Volvo is scheduled to meet the watchdog on Thursday, according to Patcharin Sumsiripong, secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office. Volvo Cars did not comment on the possibility of a civil lawsuit.

The situation follows growing customer frustration over delays in receiving replacement parts. In December, Volvo began advising owners in more than a dozen countries—including Brazil, Australia, Britain, and Thailand—to limit charging to 70% as an interim safety measure. Thai officials said this measure had proven insufficient.

A Volvo Cars spokesperson said there had been some delay due to the Iran war. The spokesperson also stated that incidents remain rare, with fires reported in 0.1% of affected vehicles, and that the recall has been reduced from 40,323 to 37,802 cars.

Chief Commercial Officer Erik Severinson acknowledged customer dissatisfaction, saying: “Rightfully so - a lot of customers were frustrated,” and added that the company now has a good pipeline of batteries.

He also said: “We’re working as fast as we can to get the new battery modules out to the retailers and to the service workshops ... But I’m not happy for any customer that needs to wait.”

In notices seen by Reuters, Volvo Cars Thailand said after the latest fire that repairs would begin on May 23, and urged customers to continue limiting charging until fixes are completed, though timelines vary across different markets. In New Zealand, a customer has been told replacements will not begin until the third quarter of 2026.

EX30 owner Jakkapong Tawarom, 32, said he was disappointed by the delay, stating: “Volvo’s response and problem-solving was not worthy of the trust we had.”

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev