Kona EV , battery fires..Recall.

Hyundai have recalled up to 100,000 Kona EVs due to a series of battery fires.

......The recall is in response to 13 unexplained Kona Electric fires worldwide, including one in Canada, of more than 100,000 vehicles sold. Neither Hyundai nor LG Chem, the maker of the battery cells, has concluded what is causing the fires. LG Chem says that both companies have conducted experiments to determine what is causing the combustion but have yet to re-create the scenario. It's suspected that there is a possible short circuit occurring due to faulty manufacturing of the cells.

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Cause unknown ?.. but the fix will be a replacement battery and software changes.
Could be a few bargain LG cells on the “salvage” sites soon ?
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a34317051/hyundai-kona-electric-recalled-korea/

More details indicate it will be 85,000 vehiles to recieve a replacement pack at a cost to Hyundai( +LG ?) of approx us$900 million !
That would imply a “factory cost” of aprox $10.5k per pack ( 64kWh) ..or $165 per kWh
I believe GM are doing a similar recall/replacement on a similar number of Bolt’s ..also using LG supplied packs !
I would appear that LG have some issues with their EV pack technology ??

TBH Hyundai has been going down hill the last few years. Was not there a huge engine safety recall that they delayed for cost savings. AS for LG Chem, werent they trying to do a software fix to a hardware problem, again cost savings gone wrong.

There was A lot of “fake news” about the Tucson “engine fire” issue .
It was nothing to do with the engines, it was actually a electronic component on the ABS brake control module , that is located under the bonnet.. it was actually a fairly standard “low risk” recall situation and minor compared to situations like the Airbag fiasco or Fords Powershift gbox.
This Battery problem is a mystery still ( to the public at least) but would appear to be an internal cell issue since it applies to other LG equiped cars....and using cells from different LG production factories ?
The 2021 JD Powers Dependability cassesment placed Hyundai/Kia in the top 10, with some of the other “quality brands like Mercedes ,..way down the list !
And Tesla ?? ...refused to cooperate !!??
https://youtu.be/O2HmLksE1FY

Hillhater said:

More details indicate it will be 85,000 vehiles to recieve a replacement pack at a cost to Hyundai( +LG ?) of approx us$900 million !
That would imply a “factory cost” of aprox $10.5k per pack ( 64kWh) ..or $165 per kWh
I believe GM are doing a similar recall/replacement on a similar number of Bolt’s ..also using LG supplied packs !
I would appear that LG have some issues with their EV pack technology ??

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I thought the GMs got different cells or they are doing a fix through "software". Or something.

These cells have been on a short list of mine for a while. These, and the Kia Nero. The Sona. The Ioniq too. I dont know if they share anything. I do know what is in alot of those, and its diffenent between diffent models.

There them Polymers in those there batteries. Them there Li-polly.... Real Honest to goodniss Li-Polymer batteryieszies that can do...

43Hp out a 1.56Kwh pack.. On the Hybrid. Can you say... Zap Brannigan, Here I come??

.... every day, in production quality..

The Plug in Hybrid cars have 8.9Kwh... and.. 60Hp on a 8.9Kwh pack . Both are true LG lipo.

Power/weight.

Aye, yee matey. Ineed me pirate some Hyundai.

Cheapest I can find them for is about 150$ / Kwh. New, car, 800 miles, but I gotta buy the whole 8.9Kwh or nosale. Humpf. Lol. Dammit taxes. Some day, I'll pull the trigger, for sure.

And Tesla ?? ...refused to cooperate !!??

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Refused to pay JD Powers.

markz said:

And Tesla ?? ...refused to cooperate !!??

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Refused to pay JD Powers.

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Refused to allow JDP access to national service data.
So JD powers surveyed 39 states worth of Tesla owners to compile a “representitive” result.
... Which was not good.....to say the least ! :wink: