Controversy Growing over Kona Electric Batteries
Another fire has broken out at a Hyundai Motor Kona Electric, the 15th since the first fire in May 2018. It put LG Energy Solution, which provided the battery for the electric vehicle, on the hot seat.
The fire mysteriously broke out at a Kona Electric being charged at a taxi company in Yucheon-dong, Dalseo-gu, Daegu at 4:11 p.m. on Jan. 23. The battery underneath the vehicle was identified as the ignition point.
Controversy over the battery problems of Hyundai Motor’s Kona Electric is expected to grow as the vehicle on fire had already been recalled to lower the possibility of catching fire. Hyundai Motor launched a massive recall of 77,000 Kona Electric vehicles (25,564 units in Korea) sold worldwide in October in 2020. The automaker is upgrading its battery management system (BMS) to increase the sensitivity of charging, and is replacing batteries if abnormal signs such as voltage deviation are found between battery cells.
Seo Bo-shin, president of Hyundai Motor, said at the time that the company had found a solution to the problem. However, the fire demonstrates that the recall measures were not perfect.