Volvo Car Group, owned by China’s Geely Holding, has initiated a global recall of vehicles due to safety concerns with batteries supplied by Chinese manufacturer Sunwoda Electronic. This recall comes shortly after another Geely subsidiary filed a substantial lawsuit against Sunwoda over battery quality issues.
According to auto media Hypermiler, Volvo has confirmed that 10,440 EX30 vehicles in the UK market are affected by potential safety hazards in Sunwoda’s high-voltage batteries. This is part of a broader issue involving 33,777 EX30 vehicles produced with Sunwoda battery cells, where approximately 0.02% of cells have reportedly overheated.
The situation became more urgent after a Volvo EX30 caught fire at a dealership in Maceió, Brazil in November 2025. The vehicle was completely destroyed, requiring 11 firefighters and four fire trucks to extinguish the blaze.
In response, Volvo has issued urgent warnings to owners in markets including the UK, US, Australia, and South Africa, instructing them to limit charging to 70% capacity to reduce fire risk while a comprehensive recall plan is prepared.
The South African National Consumer Commission has already announced a recall affecting 372 Volvo EX30 vehicles, including 2024-2026 model year single-motor extended range and dual-motor performance versions. According to Volvo South Africa, the recall addresses a potential defect in the high-voltage batteries that could, in rare cases, cause overheating when charged to high levels, leading to thermal runaway risks and potential fires.
On December 26, 2025, Viridi E-Mobility Technology, a Geely subsidiary responsible for battery systems, filed a lawsuit against Sunwoda, seeking 2.31 billion yuan (323 million USD) in damages. The lawsuit alleges quality defects in battery cells supplied between June 2021 and December 2023.
Geely’s Zeekr 001 WE86 version, which used Sunwoda cells, faced customer complaints about reduced charging rates and inaccurate range displays. Zeekr was forced to launch a “Winter Care Campaign” offering battery inspections and free replacements to affected owners, reportedly costing over 1 billion yuan (140 million USD).
Volvo, long known for safety, now faces a significant challenge to its brand reputation. The temporary measure requiring owners to limit charging to 70% has reduced the effective range of affected vehicles, frustrating customers who paid for full functionality.
While Volvo has tried to reassure the market by stating that “the number of reported incidents is very low” and the risk is “rare,” many owners remain anxious.
According to Chinese media Security Times, Geely Holding Group achieved record global sales in 2025, with 4,116,321 vehicles sold, a 26% year-on-year increase. This marked the fifth consecutive year of rapid growth and the first time annual sales exceeded 4 million units. New energy vehicles accounted for 2,293,099 units, up 58% year-on-year, representing 56% of total sales and serving as the primary growth driver for the group.
Volvo Car reported total sales of 710,042 vehicles in 2025, with new energy vehicles reaching 323,294 units, accounting for 46% of its overall sales.
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