Hyundai Motor to replace 82,000 EV batteries for $ 900 million

Hyundai Motor will replace LG Energy Solution batteries in approximately 82,000 electric vehicles worldwide due to the risk of fire. The recall will cost the manufacturer $ 900 million. It is one of the first massive battery replacements carried out by a major car manufacturer.

The review mostly concerns the Kona, Hyundai’s best-selling electric vehicle. This electric vehicle was first recalled late last year for a software update following a series of fires. However, one of the recalled Kona electric vehicles caught fire in January, and the South Korean authorities launched an investigation to see if the problem was fixed.

The South Korean Ministry of Transportation said in a statement that some battery cells produced at LG Energy Solution’s China plant had some defects. LG Energy Solution, the battery division of LG Chem, quickly dismissed the claims. The battery manufacturer said in a statement that Hyundai misapplied its proposals for fast charging logic in its battery management system. According to LG Energy Solution, the battery should not be regarded as a direct cause of the risk of fire. Hyundai did not comment on the cause of the fires.

The recall applies to 76,000 Kona electric vehicles built between 2018 and 2020, approximately 25,000 of which were sold in South Korea. In addition, Ioniq light electric vehicles and Elec City buses were also included in the recall.

At the time of the recall, there were about 15 reported fires involving Kona in South Korea, two in Canada, and one each in Finland and Austria.

Until the battery is replaced, Kona and Ioniq owners are advised to charge no more than 90% capacity.