Hyundai has recalled 456 units of the Kona Electric in the Indian market voluntarily that could be associated with an issue in the Battery Management System. According to the manufacturer, the Hyundai Kona Electric produced between the 1st April 2020 and 31 October 2020 have been recalled for the potential error. It is speculated that a problem in the high-voltage battery system could be a reason the company also recalled several Kona Electrics from the international market.
As much as 13 Hyundai Kona Electric’s in the international market have caught fire which could be related to the recall. In the South Korean market, as much as 25,564 Kona electric vehicles (EVs) manufactured between the September 2017 and March 2020 have been recalled for battery inspections, software updates and battery replacements. Earlier reports suggested that a fault in the battery pack or the BMS could lead to a short circuit heating up the system and a fire could erupt in the vehicle risking the lives of the occupant and other road users.
So far 1 incident each in Austria and Canada have been reported, which involves the electric vehicle catching fire. In the Indian market, no reports of any incidents of the Kona Electric catching fire or reports of injuries due to the faulty battery packs. The company assures that the fault in the Kona Electric in the Indian market will be checked a resolved free of cost and all customers will be notified in a phased manner.
LG and LG Chem Ltd. the company that manufacturers the battery pack for Kona Electric have tried to recreate the fire incident but the batteries were unable to catch fire and the fault cannot be attributed to faulty battery cells. The reason for the fire is still unknown and the company is still investigating. In the Indian market, Hyundai retails the Kona Electric with the 39.2 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack that delivers ARAI tested range of 452 km on a single charge. In the international market, the Kona Electric is also retailed with the optional 64 kWh battery pack.
In the Global market, the company will be recalling close to 77,000 Kona Electric vehicles.