The new GWM Ora was recalled in Australia this week due to a programming hiccup that could lead to the battery-powered vehicle electrocuting its operator if it is improperly disconnected whilst charging.
According to the official recall notice published by the country’s Department of Transport: “If the operator removes the charging cable without cancelling the charge, an electrical arc between the charging plug and the vehicle may occur.”
“If an electrical arc comes into contact with the operator or bystanders, it will increase the risk of serious injury or death.”
Down Under, the issue affects 1,659 examples of the 2023 model year Ora, as reported by Australian publication Drive.
The situation in South Africa
The Ora went on sale in South Africa this past November as the most affordable battery-electric vehicle in the country, and given that the Australian and local units are sourced from the same Chinese factory, both are affected by the programming defect.
TopAuto therefore contacted the domestic arm of GWM about the recall and the extent to which it affects our market, and the company said that it is aware of the problem and has already taken the necessary steps to address it.
“We have a limited number of vehicles (38) to be updated in South Africa with the Onboard Battery Charging (OBC) software and have updated most of the vehicles already prior [and] during pre-wholesale to our Ora dealerships, including our own fleet,” the subsidiary confirmed.
“The few remaining vehicles are being attended to by our Ora dealerships prior to any retail handover to our customers.”
GWM reassured present and future customers that any of the affected Ora vehicles within South Africa will be inspected for the issue before they are delivered to their new owners.
Should consumers have any enquiries in this regard, they can contact GWM via its Customer Care Centre at [email protected] or call 086 111 2022.
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