China leading electric vehicle producer to recall 1,389 autos

BEIJING - A subsidiary of BAIC BJEV Co, China's leading electric vehicle producer, will recall 1,389 autos from the Chinese market, the country's top quality watchdog said Friday.

The recall, set to begin on Saturday, involves 1,389 Weiwang 407EV models manufactured between June 11, 2018 and Nov 30, 2018, according to a statement by the State Administration for Market Regulation.

Battery packs of the affected vehicles may overheat and even lead to fires in extreme cases. The automaker promised to replace the defective parts free of charge.

China ordered carmakers to conduct checks on electric vehicles in June after a number of models sold by Tesla Inc and Nio Inc caught on fire.

Companies need to check for potential safety hazards in their battery boxes, waterproof protection in vehicles, high-voltage wiring harnesses, as well as onboard charging devices, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said in an online statement. Automakers need to submit their findings by the end of October.