Hyundai to Replace Battery of Every Kona Electric

Hyundai Motor Co. has decided to replace the battery of every Kona Electric after a series of fires.

Hyundai Motor Co. has recently decided to replace the battery of every Kona Electric after a series of fires. The company is currently having talks with LG Energy Solution on how to share the cost. Hyundai has produced the pack and management system of the battery and LG Energy Solution has produced the cells of the battery.

According to industry sources, it is likely to take time for them to reach an agreement in that it is difficult to pinpoint what caused the fires. Although the Korea Automobile Testing & Research Institute is investigating the cases, the probe is unlikely to give a clear answer. The public-private commission that looked into energy storage system fires in 2019 failed to pinpoint one specific cause and mentioned various possibilities, including poor management and battery cell defects.

In the meantime, Hyundai is being increasingly criticized for its belated battery recall. A total of 13 Kona Electric fires have been domestically reported so far, including five that occurred after a battery management system update. Even so, Hyundai did not take extra measures. The complete battery replacement was decided after a recalled vehicle caught fire last month.

The company is under criticism for the scope of the replacement, too. Earlier, it excluded those manufactured in March 2020 and later from the recall without explaining why.

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