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Dangerous fault possible in new hybrid car

A dangerous battery fault may afflict a new hybrid car designed by the American firm Fisker Karma and built at the Valmet Automotive factory in Uusikaupunki on Finland's west coast. The maker has recalled nearly 250 such cars, in which a manufacturing defect could lead to a short-circuit and a fire.

Urheiluauto Fisker Karma.
Image: YLE

“Fisker Automotive is changing batteries in 239 Fisker Karma hybrid cars as a measure of quality control,” says Robert Blumberg, Valmet Automotive’s Vice President for Production.

All these cars were assembled in Uusikaupunki. The need to change the batteries was discovered on the assembly line, but the fault originates with the American battery manufacturer.

An open letter from Fisker Automotive’s CEO Henrik Fisker on the Fisker Karma’s web page states that modifications will be made to fix the battery issue in 1,200 cars, some of which are finished and others are in production. According to the letter, the recall affects less than 50 cars that are already in customers' hands.

The call for repairs concerns luxury sports cars made at the Uusikaupunki plant between July and November. The battery problems have not apparently yet come up in cars that are already in use.

The first demo cars were shipped to the US in the second half of 2011.