Volkswagen says may have to recall 124,000 electric cars

Volkswagen on Tuesday said it may be forced to recall 124,000 electric and hybrid cars due to the presence of cadmium, a carcinogenic metal, in the vehicles.

"Clarification is under way for a recall order by Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority," said a spokesman for the group, confirming a report in weekly Wirtschaftswoche.

Usage of cadmium, a metal used in electric appliances like televisions, has been banned in most types of car parts.

An unidentified supplier has however delivered a batch of battery chargers containing cadmium, which has been installed in some electric and hybrid cars of the Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche brands between 2013 and June 2018.

The Wolfsburg group had detected the problem and on July 20 informed the authorities about the battery chargers which each contain 0.008 grams of the metal.

The carmaker told AFP that 124,000 vehicles could be affected by the recall.

The affected cars do not pose any immediate danger to drivers, said the group, explaining that the metal is well-insulated from any possible contact with the atmosphere.

Production and delivery of the concerned models, which had been halted immediately, have since resumed after the affected components were replaced by cadmium-free parts provided by another supplier.