(Yicai) Oct. 27 -- Volkswagen is recalling 72,700 electric vehicles worldwide over safety concerns involving high-voltage battery cells. Notably, no recall has been announced in China so far, where Contemporary Amperex Technology is the German auto manufacturer’s primary battery cell supplier, while Gotion High-Tech has also entered the supply chain for new models produced in the country.

The recall covers Volkswagen ID.3, ID.4, ID.7 and ID.Buzz vehicles produced between 2022 and 2025, as well as Born models produced by Volkswagen’s Spanish subsidiary Cupra between 2022 and 2024, according to a filing recently published by Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority, also known as the KBA.

Before the KBA announcement, Volkswagen had already initiated recalls in the United States and the United Kingdom. A recall notice on Volkswagen UK’s website states, “When the battery is charged to over 80 percent, overheating may occur, posing a fire risk.” 

Neither Wolfsburg-based Volkswagen nor the KBA disclosed the battery supplier involved in the latest recall filings. However, a notice published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Sept. 30 identified South Korean battery maker SK On as the supplier of high-voltage battery cells involved in a separate recall of 22,524 ID.4 vehicles.

Volkswagen’s electric vehicles built on its Modular Electric Drive Matrix platform use a region-specific, multi-supplier sourcing model, according to public information. The US version of the ID.4 is manufactured in the US and uses high-nickel ternary battery cells supplied by SK On’s US plants. In Europe, Volkswagen has long worked with multiple battery suppliers, including Seoul-based SK On, LG New Energy and Samsung SDI. The source of battery cells can vary depending on the production plant and manufacturing period.

SK On also supplies batteries for several of Hyundai and Kia’s electric vehicle models. Some of these EVs have also been subject to recalls in the US this year over battery fire risks. Samsung SDI has likewise faced recalls for battery cell defects in high-end plug-in hybrid autos. In February 2025, the Yongin-based company recalled over 180,000 plug-in hybrid vehicles worldwide due to damaged battery separators.

South Korea’s three leading battery makers, SK On, LG New Energy and Samsung SDI, have traditionally focused on high-nickel ternary batteries. Their higher energy density makes these batteries well suited to the long driving ranges sought by automakers in the US and Europe, helping the firms secure a large number of overseas orders. 

By contrast, Chinese power battery manufacturers have in recent years promoted lithium iron phosphate batteries, which offer better thermal stability as well as higher safety and fault tolerance.

Seven of the world’s top 10 battery suppliers in terms of installed capacity during the first eight months were from China, according to data from SNE Research. Ningde-based CATL and BYD ranked first and second, with market shares of 39.4 percent and 15.1 percent respectively. LG New Energy ranked third with an 8.1 percent share, while SK On placed eighth. Samsung SDI did not make the top 10.

Editor: Kim Taylor