The most read Vietnamese newspaper
Edition: International | Vietnamese
© Copyright 1997 VnExpress.net. All rights reserved.
A video shows the Li Mega electric MPV bursts into flames while traveling in Shanghai. Video from X
Li Auto said on Weibo that the recall is a proactive measure taken after last week’s fire and apologized to affected customers. Li Xiang, its chairman, and CEO, said the company could not wait until all risks were fully identified before taking action, as accident investigations require time, as reported by CnEVPost.
According to local reports, a Li Mega bursts into flames on Oct. 23 while driving through an intersection in Shanghai. The blaze spread quickly, but the driver and passenger managed to escape unharmed.
The recall, beginning Nov. 7, covers Li Mega units manufactured between Feb. 18 and Dec. 27, 2024. This accounts for nearly half of the model’s total 25,817 deliveries through the end of September.
Li Auto said the affected vehicles may experience corrosion and leakage in the aluminum cooling plates of the battery and front motor controller due to insufficient coolant corrosion protection. This could trigger warning lights, limit power output, or cause a complete power loss. In severe cases, it could lead to battery thermal runaway, posing a fire risk.
The company will replace the coolant, power battery, and front motor controller free of charge for affected owners. As a precaution, it has also activated a cloud-based early warning system to detect potential coolant leaks and battery safety issues. The system alerts drivers via dashboard indicators, text messages, and audible warnings, advising them to pull over and await assistance, according to CarNewsChina.
Launched in March 2024, the Li Mega is Li Auto’s first fully electric model, expanding beyond its popular range-extended hybrids. The large MPV features CATL’s Qilin NMC battery and supports 5C ultra-fast charging, allowing rapid range recovery, Interesting Engineering reported.
The vehicle is priced between 529,800 and 559,800 yuan (US$74,399–78,612).
