Mar 01, 2022 07:22 AM EST
Huge Damages Await Volkswagen Group as Cargo Ship Felicity Ace Heads to the Bahamas

The fire has finally been extinguished on the cargo ship Felicity Ace and the stricken vessel is now being towed back to port in the Bahamas for its final voyage. Among those eagerly waiting for its arrival are Volkswagen Group representatives, who want to know the final cost of the damage done to the car group's vehicles aboard the ship.

The early prognosis is not good based on Volkswagen Group of America's email to Automotive News on Friday. The American arm of Volkswagen said they fear that the fire on board Felicity Ace has damaged a large number of the nearly 4,000 Group-brand vehicles to such an extent that they can no longer be delivered to their customers.

The company added that more detailed information regarding the vehicles affected in the blaze is not yet available. Brands and dealers have already begun notifying their customers affected by the incident.

1,800 Audi vehicles on board Felicity Ace during blaze

Volkswagen has remained quiet thus far about the actual makeup of the vehicles onboard Felicity Ace, according to Insurance Journal. However, dealer and company sources with knowledge of the matter have stated that around 1,800 vehicles were Audis. They were then followed in volume by Porsches, which are believed to outnumber Volkswagen's vehicles on board the cargo ship by a ratio of more than two to one.

Based on information gathered from the dealers, around half of the Volkswagen vehicles aboard the car carrier were ID4 EVs. The remaining vehicles consisted of Volkswagen's Arteon, Golf R, and GTI models. Volkswagen Group's lower volume luxury brands were also affected by this blaze, with 189 Bentleys and 85 Lamborghinis reportedly on board the ill-fated ship.

Andrea Baldi, the chief executive of Lamborghini of America, hopes that some of the brand's supercars onboard the ship were undamaged, particularly the Aventadors, as the Italian luxury carmaker has just finished that model's production run.

Also Read: Ford F-150 Named Best-selling Vehicle in the U.S. in 2021; F-series Tops Sales in 19 States

Lithium batteries to blame for fire?

This incident has turned into a major problem for Volkswagen Group, with some saying that the vehicle damage may end up being even higher than the early estimated amount of US$355 million. The Felicity Ace was tasked by Volkswagen Group to deliver thousands of vehicles to the Port of Davisville in Rhode Island to refresh everyone's memory.

Felicity Ace departed Emden, Germany, on February 10 and was scheduled to arrive in the United States on February 23. However, something went wrong in the middle of its voyage in the Atlantic Ocean, with a fire suddenly breaking out on February 16.

According to the captain of Felicity Ace, the fire broke out on the ship's cargo deck where Volkswagen's vehicles were stowed. The flames spread quickly, forcing 22 crew members to abandon the vessel. The fire proved too difficult to extinguish with the lithium batteries in electric vehicles, keeping it alive for six days.

  

Related Articles:

Chinese Company Envision to Mass Produce E.V. Batteries With 1,000-Kilometer Range Starting in 2024 

Lightning eMotors Completes Expansion of Colorado Facility: EV Maker to Double Production Capacity 

See Now: OnePlus 6: How Different Will It Be From OnePlus 5?

 PREVIOUS POST
NEXT POST 

EDITOR'S PICK    

Hyundai to Invest $16.1 Billion for EV Business; Sets Annual Sales Goal of 1.87M Electric Cars by 2030

World's Most Expensive and Most Heavily-optioned Porsche 928 GTS is Coming Home to the U.S.

Major Boost as Tesla Giga Berlin Facility in Final Phase of Approval Process; Delivery Event Set This Month

Audi Looking for e-tron Electric Vehicles to Spur Car Brand's Growth in India in 2022

Toyota Offers Free EV Charging to Owners of 2023 bZ4X After Partnership Agreement with EVgo

2022 Suzuki Baleno Finally Unveiled in India: What are the Specs and Features of this City Car?