2023 Toyota bZ4X all-electric SUV was shown at the Los Angeles Motor Show, California, USA, November 17, 2021. REUTERS / Mike Blake
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TOKYO, June 23 (Reuters) – Toyota Motor Corp. (7203.T) said on Thursday it would withdraw 2,700 of its first mass-produced electric vehicles (EVs) to the world market because of the risk of the wheels loosening.
The world’s largest carmaker in sales sent the withdrawal of bZ4X SUVs to the Ministry of Transport of Japan. Of the 2,700 vehicles, 2,200 were destined for Europe, 260 for the United States, 10 for Canada and 110 for Japan, the company said.
Subaru Corp. (7270.T) also said on Thursday that it was withdrawing about 2,600 units worldwide from the Solterra, its first all-electric vehicle co-developed with Toyota, for the same reason.
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The Japanese safety regulator said that sharp turns and sudden stops could lead to loosening of the hub bolt, which increases the risk of a wheel climbing out of the vehicle. He said he was not aware of any incidents caused by the defect.
The regulator advised drivers to stop using the vehicle until a more “permanent” repair measure is introduced.
All cars towed to Japan have not yet been delivered to customers as they were intended for test drives and display, carmaker spokesmen said.
“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience it causes you,” Toyota said on its website. “We were going to fix it as soon as possible, but we’re investigating the details.”
A Toyota spokesman said not every model had been withdrawn, but declined to say how much it was built overall.
For Subaru, most of the vehicles were for dealers and none were delivered to customers in the United States, a Subaru spokesman said.
The withdrawal comes less than two months after Toyota, relatively late in the EV market, launched the electric SUV, the bZ4X, on the domestic market, albeit as a leasing option only.
Toyota’s leasing division, KINTO, has canceled promotional test drive events planned in three Japanese cities for safety measures.
Toyota has been criticized by some investors and environmental groups for not acting fast enough to stop using gasoline cars and instead embrace electric cars.
The company has repeatedly repulsed criticism, arguing the need to offer a variety of powertrains to suit different markets and customers.
Gasoline-electric hybrid models remain much more popular in Toyota’s domestic market than electric cars, which accounted for only 1% of passenger cars sold in Japan last year, according to industry data.
However, the market is growing rapidly and foreign carmakers, including Tesla Inc (TSLA.O), are making visible raids on the streets of cities like Tokyo.
(This story adjusts the number of towing vehicles in Canada in the second paragraph to 10 instead of 20 after Toyota corrects the figure)
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Report by Satoshi Sugiyama and Maki Shiraki Edited by Jane Meriman and Bernadette Baum
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