Toyota said on Thursday it would recall 2,700 of its first mass-produced electric vehicles (EVs) because of a danger that wheels could come loose.

The world's largest carmaker by sales submitted the recall of the bZ4X SUVs to Japan's transportation ministry. Of the 2,700 vehicles, 2,200 were earmarked for Europe, 260 for the US, 20 for Canada and 110 for Japan.

Japan's safety regulator said sharp turns and sudden braking could cause a hub bolt to loosen, raising the risk of a wheel coming off the vehicle. The regulator said it was not aware of any accidents caused by the defect.

It was advising drivers to stop using the vehicle until a more “permanent” repair measure was in place.

The recall comes less than two months after Toyota, a relative latecomer to the EV market, rolled out the electric SUV, bZ4X, to the domestic market, albeit as a lease only option.

Toyota has been criticised by some investors and environmental organisations for not acting quickly enough to phase out petrol-powered cars and embrace EVs instead.

Toyota has repeatedly pushed back against the criticism, arguing the necessity to offer a variety of powertrains to suit different markets and customers.

Petrol-electric hybrid models remain far more popular in Toyota's home market than EVs, which accounted for just 1% of the passenger cars sold in Japan last year, based on industry data.

The market is growing fast and foreign carmakers, including Tesla, are making visible inroads on the streets of cities such as Tokyo.