Safety shock for new electric ute: KGM Musso EV missing two airbags it was advertised with
The KGM Musso EV has been caught up in a potentially serious safety and consumer law issue after independent crash testing revealed the electric ute is missing two airbags KGM Australia advertised as standard equipment.
ANCAP issued a consumer alert today confirming Australian-delivered Musso EVs do not have either a driver’s knee airbag or front-centre airbag, despite KGM previously promoting the electric ute as being equipped with eight airbags.
Instead, the Musso EV has six airbags, with KGM Australia admitting its published product information was incorrect.
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The issue was discovered by ANCAP during its assessment of the Musso EV and affects approximately 306 vehicles sold in Australia to the end of July.
It could now attract the attention of the federal Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts, which is responsible for vehicle safety and compliance with the Australian Design Rules.
EV Central has contacted the department and is awaiting a response.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) told EV Central that it works closely with the Department of Infrastructure on motor vehicle matters because the department has responsibility for safety and Australian Design Rule compliance.
The ACCC would not comment specifically on the Musso EV case, but pointed out that manufacturers must also comply with Australian Consumer Law, which prohibits businesses from engaging in misleading conduct or making misleading representations.
It is not yet clear whether KGM Australia faces regulatory action or penalties over the incorrect specification.
It is also not clear whether there are other discrepancies between claimed and actual equipment in the Musso EV and other KGM models,
KGM insists the Musso EV remains compliant with its Vehicle Type Approval and says the vehicle has always been manufactured with six airbags.
“Some materials incorrectly described the vehicle as being equipped with eight airbags, including a driver SRS knee airbag and front seat centre airbag. The correct Australian specification is six airbags,” KGM Australia said in a statement supplied to EV Central.
KGM described the incorrect information as an “unintentional administrative error” and said it was reviewing how the mistake occurred.
The company said affected marketing and specification material was changed once the discrepancy was confirmed. ANCAP says those changes had been made by July 31.
KGM is also preparing what it describes as a “customer communication and redress approach” and says it will contact affected owners directly.
ANCAP has warned existing owners that the missing airbags could have safety implications.
“Customers who have already purchased a Musso EV are advised that the safety specification of their vehicles may differ to that advertised, and that the omission of these safety features may have an effect on occupant safety in front and side impact crashes,” the safety authority said.
The front-centre airbag is typically mounted on the inboard side of the driver’s seat and is designed to reduce occupant injuries in side impacts, including contact between the driver and front passenger.
A driver’s knee airbag is mounted beneath the steering column and is designed to help control occupant movement and loading during a crash.
ANCAP has called on KGM to make a production change to install both airbags in Australian Musso EVs.
The Musso EV went on sale locally late last year and is one of the relatively small number of battery-electric utes currently available in Australia. Prices currently start at $60,000 drive-away for the front-wheel-drive version, while the AWD tested recently by EV Central is priced from $64,700 drive-away.
It uses an 80.6kWh LFP battery and offers up to 420km of claimed range in 2WD form, dropping to 380km for the dual-motor AWD.
EV Central’s launch coverage also reported the Musso EV as having eight airbags, based on the specifications supplied by KGM Australia at the time. KGM’s original Australian launch material was published alongside specifications for the new electric ute.
ANCAP says all Australian Musso EVs supplied since the model’s introduction are affected by the specification discrepancy. It advises existing owners with concerns to contact KGM Australia or their dealer, while prospective new or used buyers should be aware the vehicle has six airbags rather than the previously advertised eight.
The Musso EV currently remains unrated by ANCAP. The separate diesel-powered KGM Musso is not affected by the alert.
