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A scrapyard in the UK is overflowing with used cars, raising questions about waste, logistics and the automotive market.
Images of a junkyard full of cars Jaguar relatively new ones have generated controversy on social media.
None of the vehicles photographed are older than 2019, which has raised questions about why they were discarded prematurely.
Why would a renowned brand like Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) be scrapping vehicles that could still be on the road? The answer goes back to a critical issue of Safety.
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The problem with high voltage batteries
The case began in August 2024, when the JLR has announced a recall of 2.760 units of the Jaguar I-Pace model due to the risk of thermal overload of the high-voltage battery.
This failure had already led to four previous recalls since May 2023, without the company finding a definitive solution.
Initially, dealers were instructed to install a software update that limited the maximum state of charge of the batteries to 80%.
Additionally, owners were advised to park and charge their vehicles outside as a preventative measure. However, the measure proved insufficient.
The origin of the problem
The affected vehicles were manufactured between January 2018 and March 2019 at the Magna Steyr plant in Austria and used lithium-ion battery cells supplied by LG Chem.
This supplier had already faced similar problems with the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Bolt EUV models, which also recorded fires due to battery failures.
Despite the efforts of JLR To mitigate the risks, three I-Pace units caught fire in the United States even after applying software updates.
This showed that the problem was more serious than previously thought and put users' safety at risk.
Radical decision – Destination was the junkyard
Given the persistence of the problem, the JLR Recall Determination Committee decided in November 2024 to buy back all affected vehicles.
A report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), released on November 18, confirmed that decision.
The automaker opted to store the vehicles until it decided what to do with them. However, images that went viral on social media show that the solution was more drastic: the total destruction of the repurchased models.
All units seen in the photos have British plates, which indicates that the same fate may have been given to vehicles purchased from customers in other countries.
Some speculation has arisen about the possibility that some of these vehicles were made up of units damaged by flooding.
In October 2023, Storm Babet caused severe flooding in the UK, affecting dealership stock, including one for Jaguar Land Rover. However, there is no confirmation that these cars in the scrapyard are exclusively from the I-Pace recall.
The impact for Jaguar Land Rover
This episode represents a major challenge to JLR's reputation, which was already facing difficulties in the electric vehicle market.
Battery fires are one of the biggest fears in the automotive industry, and the failure to address the issue before it resulted in public incidents has damaged the brand's image.
In addition to the financial loss from repurchasing and discarding vehicles, the company faces the need to reinforce its research and development to ensure the safety of its future models.
What does the future hold?
The issue of safety in electric vehicles continues to be a central issue in the automotive industry. The case of the Jaguar I-Pace reinforces the need for stricter standards in battery production and more effective monitoring by automakers.
For consumers, here's a warning: recalls are essential for safety, and seemingly small problems can develop into serious risks.
Anyone who owns electric vehicles should closely monitor updates from manufacturers and follow safety recommendations.
The Jaguar episode raises a crucial question for the future of electric mobility: how can we ensure that technological innovations advance without compromising user safety? This will be an ongoing challenge for the automotive industry in the coming years.
With information autoevolution.
English trash??? Bring it to Brazil because it sells everything quickly!!
The American and Chinese ones sell very well here.