Audi recalls first e-vehicle in the United States

Volkswagen luxury brand Audi is recalling its first all-electric vehicle due to the risk of a battery fire.

The company issued a voluntary recall of approximately 540 E-Tron SUV models sold in the United States because of a risk that moisture can seep into the battery cell through a wiring harness glitch, spokesman Mark Dahncke said.

The company isn't aware of any fires or injuries because of the flaw, which affects a total of 1,644 models, he said.

The E-Tron, which went on sale in the United States in April, is Audi's first fully electric car and one in a wave of contenders from traditional automakers looking to challenge Tesla's dominance of the segment.

While electric vehicles are no more prone to accidents or fires than gasoline-powered cars - and might be less so, according the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - the lithium-ion battery technology that powers them still is evolving, and there is no consensus on safe system design.

Audi said there have been five instances globally in which a battery fault light turned on because of the moisture issue. It began contacting E-Tron owners in the United States last week - before a warning from federal safety regulators - and should have a repair available by August.

'We are applying an abundance of caution as no such incidents have been reported globally,” the company said in a statement.

Audi said it's offering E-Tron owners loaner vehicles and an $800 cash card to cover gas or incidentals during the recall period, as well as free roadside assistance.

There still are E-Trons unaffected by the recall available for sale, it said.