The heart of any cutting-edge electric vehicle (EV) today is undeniably its battery. Given its expensive price, safeguarding this component has become a paramount priority for auto giants. Unfortunately, it seems like Porsche and Audi missed a step in this race, leading to a swift recall to mend the lapse.
Elektrek recently reported a glaring liquid breach issue with the 2023 models of Porsche Taycan and Audi e-Tron GT. The problem lies in the sealing process of the battery. If unchecked, this fault could allow detrimental water to seep in. In such cases, the affected vehicles are programmed to flash warning signals, alerting drivers to the potential hazards of liquid breaches in the battery. The recalled cars are the models built between September 23, 2022, to August 25, 2023. This encompasses a total of 4,777 Taycan and 1,899 e-Tron GT units. Unfortunately, an estimated 3% of these units could be vulnerable to this water ingress dilemma.
Liquid ingress poses a serious risk to an electric vehicle’s battery. It causes internal arcing with the potential to cause a “thermal event,” which can involve overheating or even a battery fire. This also causes corrosion to internal battery components which could lead to damage over a longer time period.
However, this isn’t the first time this issue has been reported. The problem was originally discovered in 2022. Porsche and Audi discovered a small number of instances where decreased insulation resistance readings suggested liquid entering some vehicles’ batteries. Dräxlmaier Group then introduced a new Teroson sealant last September to increase the resilience of the battery’s seal. Nevertheless, the challenge persisted. Despite applying the sealant, reports of vehicles encountering similar water-related issues continued to surface. Liquids had evidently infiltrated, compromising the insulation’s effectiveness and triggering warning indicators on the dashboards. Upon closer examination, it was evident that liquid had penetrated several batteries. A positive aspect emerged, though; none of these units experienced ignition or thermal incidents.
In May of this year, a new version of Teroson sealant was released, showing improved resistance to these liquid infiltrations. But till today, a small number of vehicles still have batteries sealed with the older, less effective sealant.Addressing the concern, Porsche and Audi have initiated leak tests to weed out vehicles under threat. Batteries failing the test will be swapped for those equipped with the enhanced Teroson sealant. All repair costs will be absorbed under warranty, considering these cars still fall within the fresh vehicle warranty window. Owners can anticipate an official notification by October’s end.
One could argue that the challenges faced in this era of EVs are unprecedented. The shift from conventional gasoline engines to electric propulsion has thrown numerous curveballs at automakers. Making perfectly sealed batteries might seem easy, but it’s actually a tough job when making a lot of them. One has to be extremely careful in selecting the right materials, putting them on correctly, and waiting the right amount of time for them to set. This has to be done perfectly, over and over again for many batteries. The events surrounding the Taycan and e-Tron GT serve as a case study: a blend of proactive measures, transparent communication, and unwavering dedication to excellence.
