Jonathan Gitlin
The Jaguar I-Pace deserves more credit. When it launched in 2018, it was one of only two electric cars on the market that could offer a range that rivaled Tesla's. The other was the much more basic Chevrolet Bolt, which was cheaper but nowhere near as luxurious and enjoyable to drive. Now, some I-Pace and Bolt owners have something else in common: Jaguar has issued a recall for some 2019 model year I-Pace models due to a fire hazard likely caused by improperly folded battery anode tabs.
The problem does not affect all I-Paces, but only those built between January 9, 2018 and March 14, 2019 – a total of 2,760 cars in the US. So far, three fires have been reported following software updates that, according to Jaguar's recall report, “do not provide adequate protection for the 2019MY vehicles in the US.”
Although Jaguar's investigation is ongoing, it says its battery supplier (LG Energy Solutions) is reviewing some battery modules that diagnostic software has found to “exhibit characteristics of a folded anode tab.” In 2021, problems with LG batteries – in this case folded separators and cracked anode tabs – led Chevrolet to recall all Bolts on the road and replace their batteries under warranty, costing more than $1.8 billion.
The Jaguar recall is less drastic for now. A software update will limit the maximum charge of the affected cars to 80 percent, preventing the batteries from being charged to 100 percent. Jaguar also says that – similar to other OEMs that have issued recalls for similar problems – the patched I-Paces should be parked away from buildings for 30 days after the recall and charged outdoors if possible.