Siripong Orders Urgent Investigation into Volvo EX30 Fire; Suspends New Vehicle Registration Until Safety Tests Passed

On May 21, 2025, Thitipat Taijongrak, director of the Automotive Engineering Office and spokesman for the Department of Land Transport, announced that following reports on social media and news outlets regarding fires in Volvo EX30 electric vehicles, the Ministry of Transport has taken urgent action. Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angsakulkiarti instructed the Department of Land Transport to immediately investigate and establish safety guidelines for the vehicle model.

On May 19, 2025, Volvo Car (Thailand) submitted technical explanations revealing that the fire incidents stemmed from a high-voltage battery cell system defect. The company has prepared replacement parts and will begin recalling all 1,668 affected vehicles in Thailand to replace battery modules starting May 25, 2025.

The Department of Land Transport has ordered the company to complete all repairs urgently and enhance communication channels to inform all owners of safe usage guidelines while awaiting service appointments. Volvo must submit regular progress reports until all defects are completely remedied.

The Department of Land Transport, under authority of the Automotive Act B.E. 2522, has reviewed the vehicle's safety certification standards for electric drive systems and batteries according to international standard UNR100. The department has immediately suspended new vehicle registration for this model until the defects are fixed and safety testing is completed. This affects only future new registrations, not previously registered vehicles.

The Department of Land Transport assures the public that vehicle safety is its highest priority and will enforce strict legal measures to prevent future risks. For inquiries, contact the Department of Land Transport hotline at 1584, available 24 hours.