Volvo CEO reinforces EX30 fire risk and asks for obedience to car charging rules

Volvo’s president for the Americas, Luis Rezende, once again asked the owners of the EX30 summoned for the battery recall to contact dealerships and respect the 70% charge limit until the repair is completed. The statement was given on the CBN Autoesporte podcast, produced by CBN radio in partnership with Autoesporte magazine.

“Recharging above that is not safe and can really cause accidents,” said the executive, saying that the 70% ceiling is not a suggestion. Rezende asked all owners involved in the campaign to schedule the check and, if necessary, the replacement of the high voltage battery modules.

Why Volvo called the EX30 recall

The campaign started in January and reaches units produced between September 6, 2024 and October 25, 2025. According to the manufacturer, a production failure was identified in the cells of the high-voltage battery, capable of causing a short circuit inside the modules. In case of overheating, there is a risk of fire.

Worldwide, more than 40,000 units were recalled — 40,323, according to Reuters — of which about 5,600 were in Brazil. The cells are supplied by Shandong Geely Sunwoda Power Battery, a joint venture linked to Geely, Volvo’s parent company. Until the repair is done, the car itself applies the load limit, adjustable by the multimedia center. In the United Kingdom, the brand also advised drivers not to recharge the vehicle in closed and unsupervised places.

Fire in Rio gave urgency to the appeal

The executive’s request comes weeks after an EX30 was destroyed by fire on July 10, on Rua da Bambina, in Botafogo, in the South Zone of Rio de Janeiro, in front of a dealership of the brand. The Fire Department was called around 11:50 am and controlled the flames at 1:40 pm. There were no injuries.

Days later, Volvo confirmed that the unit was on the recall list and reported that the fire started about an hour after the end of a full recharge. The company said it would carry out an on-site investigation to determine the causes.

In Brazil, the campaign’s service only began on July 1, months behind the initial schedule: the correction requires the physical replacement of the modules and depends on the arrival of the parts. The manufacturer does not disclose how many vehicles have already been repaired or when it intends to end the recall. Owners can consult Volvo’s SAC to find out if the chassis is on the list and schedule the service.