The tests, carried out by the German motoring organisation ADAC in June this year, found that when the Funky Cat’s charging port was unlocked, the car continued charging for a short period.
ADAC observed that, depending on how fast the charger (pictured below) was removed from the car, sparks could be seen flying from the socket, along with a burning smell and a prominent ‘popping’ noise.
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How has Ora reacted?
After being contacted by ADAC, Ora reacted quickly to issue a software update that fixes the problem.
On cars with the software updated, the charging process now stops when the charging socket is unlocked.
When we contacted Ora, a UK representative told us:
‘We are aware of an isolated incident that occurred during a test carried out … while the vehicle was three-phase AC charging. This issue has not occurred or been reported on any of the 68,000 Ora Funky Cats being driven worldwide.'
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There’s currently no official recall for the Ora Funky Cat.
When asked what owners of the Funky Cat should do, Ora’s UK representative told us:
‘The software update is currently available in the UK, and all current and future vehicles will receive the software update either through a pre or post-sale process. Retailers are aware of the process and will begin contacting customers as soon as possible.
‘There is no need for customers to proactively take any action as they will be contacted directly.’
What is the Ora Funky Cat?
By the end of July 2023, around 500 Funky Cat models had been imported to the UK.
The Funky Cat small hatchback is the only model currently sold by the brand in the UK, although a larger Ora saloon car will be introduced during the first quarter of 2024.
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