Jaguar Land Rover has ordered a broad recall of its flagship electric SUV in the United States after regulators warned that some high‑voltage batteries could overheat and catch fire. The action covers nearly 2,300 Jaguar I‑PACE vehicles and raises new questions about how quickly the company can fix a problem that cuts to the core of consumer trust in electric cars. The recall is not just about one defective part; it is also a test of how the auto industry handles the real‑world limits of battery technology.
Federal filings say the recall targets a specific flaw inside certain battery cells that can turn a parked or charging vehicle into a potential ignition source. For owners, that means new rules for how and where they charge, at least for now, and a reminder that the quiet, zero‑tailpipe SUV in the driveway still carries powerful hardware that must be managed with care. Regulators have linked this case to at least one earlier investigation into battery fires, and those findings helped push Jaguar Land Rover toward a formal recall rather than a quiet software update.
What triggered the I-PACE recall
Regulators and Jaguar Land Rover engineers zeroed in on the high‑voltage battery pack fitted to the I‑PACE after reports that some vehicles experienced overheating. The company is recalling nearly 2,300 electric SUVs in the United States because this battery can get hot enough to raise the risk of a fire while the car is parked, driving, or plugged in. In recall paperwork, JLR and safety officials describe the action as a response to a clear safety hazard, not a minor software glitch or comfort issue, and they treat the defect as serious enough to justify strong warnings to owners.
Within that broad concern lies a very specific defect. Investigations pointed to what one notice calls a “folded anode tab” inside certain battery cells, a small manufacturing flaw that can create internal hot spots and, in the worst case, start a fire inside the pack. According to a federal summary cited by regulatory filings, that defect is central to the recall that will be formally recorded on February 24. The same paperwork notes that the warning signs first appeared in a small number of vehicles but were serious enough that engineers did not wait for a larger pattern before moving to a recall.
How many vehicles are affected and who is involved
The recall centers on the Jaguar I‑PACE, the battery‑electric SUV that the company promoted as a showcase for its move toward cleaner drivetrains. Regulators say Jaguar Land Rover is recalling nearly 2,300 electric SUVs in the U.S., while a technical recall summary puts the figure at 2,278 I‑PACE electric SUVs in the United States, a difference that likely reflects rounding in public statements. One filing also references internal tracking numbers such as 698 and 70 for early incident reports, and another lists campaign identifier 2307468 alongside code 0098 to help dealers match vehicles to the correct repair instructions.
On the regulatory side, NHTSA has opened a formal Jaguar I‑PACE recall focused on this battery fire risk, adding the case to a growing list of electric‑vehicle safety probes. The agency’s involvement is described in filings that spell out how JLR will carry out the recall in coordination with federal officials. One notice states that JLR will recall 2,278 electric SUVs in the U.S. over a fire‑risk warning identified by NHTSA staff, confirming that federal safety officials are not treating this as a voluntary, low‑stakes service campaign but as an official safety defect that must be tracked to completion.
Why the defect is so dangerous
To understand why a “folded anode tab” matters, it helps to picture a battery cell as a tightly wound roll of thin metal strips coated with active material. If one part of that roll bends or folds in the wrong way, electric current can concentrate in a small area, much like a kinked garden hose forces water through a narrow point. In a high‑energy lithium‑ion cell, that concentration becomes heat, and heat inside a sealed cell can start a chain reaction that spreads to neighboring cells in the pack, a process safety experts often call thermal runaway.
In this recall, the risk is not theoretical. Jaguar I‑PACE SUVs were recalled because the battery in the vehicles may overheat, raising the chances of a fire, according to a regulatory brief that bluntly describes the hazard for drivers and bystanders. That description matches what engineers have seen in other high‑profile EV fires, where a small internal fault leads to a rapid rise in temperature that can be hard for firefighters to stop once it starts. Because the I‑PACE uses a large pack made up of many cells, a problem in one cell can, in rare cases, spread through a wider section of the battery if it is not detected and contained early.
Temporary fixes: charge caps and parking habits
Because the physical cause of the defect lies inside the cells, JLR cannot simply flip a switch and make the risk disappear. Instead, the company and regulators have turned to software and owner behavior as a stopgap. One of the key short‑term steps is a new charge limit: NHTSA’s notice describes a temporary fix that caps the I‑PACE battery at 90 percent of its full charge, a measure designed to reduce stress on the cells and lower peak temperatures. The 90 percent cap is not a perfect solution, because it slightly reduces driving range, but it is a familiar tactic in battery safety campaigns and can be applied quickly through a software update.
Owners are also being asked to change how they live with their vehicles. Recall notices advise owners to charge outside if possible, rather than in enclosed garages, to reduce the chance that a potential fire spreads to a home or building. One filing notes that Jaguar Land Rover is recalling nearly 2,300 electric SUVs in the U.S. over concerns that the high‑voltage battery may overheat and explicitly tells owners, as summarized by business reports, to charge outside if possible. For drivers who bought an EV partly to enjoy quiet overnight charging in their garage, that is a jarring instruction and a clear sign that regulators want to keep worst‑case scenarios away from homes.
What owners can do right now
For I‑PACE owners, the most immediate question is simple: what should I do with my car today? The recall notices make one thing clear: owners can take their SUVs to dealers to have the temporary software fix applied and to get more detailed guidance on charging and parking. A campaign summary notes that owners can take to dealers for inspection, a standard step in safety recalls that also gives the company a chance to check for visible signs of battery distress, such as damage to the pack casing or warning messages stored in the vehicle’s software.
Until that visit happens, owners are being urged to follow the 90 percent charge cap and outdoor‑charging advice as closely as possible. It is an uncomfortable position: driving a vehicle that regulators say carries a higher fire risk, yet still relying on it for daily life, commutes, and family trips. This tension is a reminder that EV ownership is not just about software updates and range figures; it is also about trust in the physical battery pack under the floor and in the company that designed and sourced it. Clear instructions, prompt dealer appointments, and honest answers to owner questions will all play a role in keeping that trust from eroding further.
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*This article was researched with the help of AI, with human editors creating the final content.
