Recently, a new measure aimed at eliminating safety hazards has affected more than 100,000 electric vehicles worldwide. The recall of Hyundai Motor (Hyundai)Kona Electric models is mainly aimed at the first generation of products, and the relevant owners may need to upgrade the software.
Given the risk of fire, Hyundai Motor is recalling more than 100000 Kona Electric models worldwide. Affected owners are required to go to the brand authorized service center to complete the software update. The recall covers production dates ranging from January 24, 2018 to July 15, 2023.
According to data from the German Federal Motor Vehicle Administration (KBA), a total of 104,011 vehicles were affected worldwide, of which 13,523 were involved in Germany. The root cause of the problem is the abnormal operation of the battery management system (BMS). Existing software may not be able to detect potential failures in a timely manner, leading to thermal stability issues and, in extreme cases, fires.
During the repair process, the service center will upgrade the BMS control unit. The new version of the software has a more advanced detection function, which can identify the voltage difference between the battery cells earlier, so as to timely warn of potential hidden dangers. Although in most cases only a software update is required, some vehicles may still need to replace the entire battery pack. Note that this recall is limited to first-generation models. The new Kona Electric released in 2023 uses a different battery technology, so it is not included in the recall.
More car information is available on the Boon.hu website. It is worth noting that this is not the first time the model has encountered such problems. There was a massive recall in South Korea in 2020, involving more than 25000 vehicles, when the problem was attributed to defects in cells supplied by LG Energy Solutions. The solution at that time also included software updates and battery replacement in certain cases.
At present, the specific range of affected models is not fully clear. Kona has Electric provided two battery versions at 39.2 kW and 64 kW, and it is not clear whether both are within the scope of the recall. Some analysts believe that models made in South Korea and whose VIN code starts with "KMHK" may be involved, but the manufacturer has not officially confirmed this.
The importance of this recall is that the Kona Electric has long been one of the most popular and cost-effective electric vehicles in Europe. Hyundai Motor is taking preventive measures to minimize risks before serious problems occur, according to e-cars.hu reports. For the latest information, please follow the Boon Google News page.