Volvo EX30 Quebec Class Action: Owners Sue Over Battery Fire Risk and 70% Charge Limit

A class action has been filed in Quebec against Volvo over its 2025 EX30, alleging that the manufacturer took more than nine months to fix a high-voltage battery defect that poses a fire risk. The lawsuit, led by Montreal firm ML Kaufman with Leslie Stefani as the named representative, seeks C$5,000 in punitive damages on behalf of every Canadian who owns, bought, or leased an affected EX30.

The recall and what owners are told to do

Volvo issued its first international safety recall on January 2, 2026, followed by a second in February. Transport Canada published two notices — #2026-001 and #2026-078 — covering a total of 1,631 vehicles in Canada. The defect is in the high-voltage battery cells, which can overheat and short-circuit, creating a fire risk even when the vehicle is parked and switched off.

Because of that risk, Volvo has asked owners to:

• Cap the battery charge at 70%
• Park outdoors, away from other vehicles and structures

According to documentation Volvo filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the affected EX30s use batteries supplied by Chinese manufacturer Shandong Geely Sunwoda Power Battery, installed in the EX30 through October 25, 2025. Volvo says models built after that date are not affected. All 2025-model-year trims are covered, including the two-wheel-drive Single-Motor Extended Range and the four-wheel-drive Twin-Motor Performance versions, which have a combined rated range of 327 to 420 km. Charging to only 70% of capacity cuts that usable range by roughly 125 km.

Why owners are pushing back

The complaint centres on the wait. Stefani, a Beaconsfield resident who leased an EX30 from Volvo Laval in October 2024, says a March letter warned her battery might be affected but gave no repair date. Follow-up emails said corrective measures were being developed and, later, that replacement battery modules were unavailable. A September 30 email said parts were becoming available "in limited quantities," but as of October 2 she still had no repair date.

The plaintiffs rely on several provisions of the Quebec Consumer Protection Act, arguing that "a reasonable consumer would not have purchased or leased a luxury electric vehicle if they had known that its range was significantly reduced, that it could catch fire even while parked, and that the parking precautions would limit normal use." Alongside the punitive damages, the suit seeks compensatory damages to be determined once the defect is repaired, or cancellation of the purchase or lease agreement.

What it means for Canadian EX30 owners

Volvo's published position is that the fix is a free replacement of the battery modules containing the affected cells, and that dealers will contact customers as parts become available. Owners should keep their vehicle charged at or below 70% and parked outdoors until the repair is complete. If you own or lease a 2025 EX30 in Quebec, the lawsuit invites you to contact ML Kaufman's attorneys Jack Kermezian and Albert Greenspoon to learn about joining the class.

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