BMW believes the cars are unsafe, but the business that bought the salvaged vehicles from the burnt container ship thinks otherwise
3 hours ago
BMW wants to stop the sale of its cars. Well, specifically, the ones that came from the Fremantle Highway container ship that caught fire almost a year ago. After the fire was extinguished, crews recovered 260 brand-new (but now salvage) BMWs from the ship. A Taiwanese insurance company then sold the cars to a consortium of businesses in Rotterdam.
That group now wants to turn a profit on the vehicles, and BMW is fighting that action in court.
Read: The Shipping World Isn’t Ready For The Risk EVs Pose, And Here’s Why
As a reminder, in July 2023, a fire broke out on the car carrier Fremantle Highway, raising concerns that electric vehicles (EVs) on board were the cause. Investigations later debunked this theory. However, the fire did damage several vehicles, including many EVs. Despite the incident, the salvage company reports that around 1,000 vehicles, including approximately 500 EVs, appear to be in good condition and recoverable.
Late last year, BMW found out that the 260 vehicles recovered and sold to the consortium were going to go up for sale. It filed an injunction over safety concerns. It believes that the cars pose a significant danger and doesn’t want anyone buying them. The businesses who own the cars clearly disagree about their overall condition.
A video from nine months ago shows what are likely some of the cars in question. Safety crews appear to remove and then handle the cars in the same manner that they would a perfectly functional vehicle. Does that mean that they’re actually safe?
Absolutely not. The potential danger is one that BMW doesn’t appear willing to budge on. “The risks associated with these total loss declared cars are enormous,” says an attorney for BMW according to NorthernTimes. “Those risks should not be underestimated.”
Evidently, the consortium was even willing to compromise. Of course, it’s the type of evil mastermind compromise one might expect from a consortium. If BMW had agreed to it, the group of businesses would’ve been allowed to sell the cars to countries where automotive standards aren’t so strict. That way, BMW’s reputation would have one more layer of protection. The German automaker said no.
More: Fremantle Highway Salvage Video Shows Burned Mercedes EQE EV Being Submerged For Safety
For now, we’ll have to see what happens at the next hearing on July 15th. Til then we’ll pass the question off to you.
Should these cars all go to the scrap heap? Should some be saved? What’s the right move here? Let us know in the comments below.