Hyundai Motor Co. has announced it will recall close to 82,000 electric vehicles to replace battery packs globally due to fire risks.<\/p>\n
The move from the South Korean carmaker will cost the company close to $900 million dollars after the South Korean government found defects in the vehicles\u2019 battery packs.<\/p>\n
Hyundai\u2019s voluntary recall involves three electric vehicle models Kona, Ioniq and Elec City.<\/p>\n
South Korea\u2019s Transport Ministry earlier said a series of fires involving Kona vehicles had most likely been caused by short circuits in defective high-voltage battery cells.<\/p>\n
The automaker will be recalling a total of 81,701 units of the three cars — 26,699 units in Korea and 55,002 units in other countries.<\/p>\n
The affected electric vehicles were equipped with battery cells produced by LG Energy Solution at its battery plant in Nanjing, China from September 2017 to July 2019.<\/p>\n
The battery cells appear to have a flaw in their cathode tabs, making them prone to short circuits, it said. It added, however, that the investigation was not yet complete.<\/p>\n
The replacement of the battery systems is expected to cost about 1 trillion won ($899 million), a charge that will be reflected in the South Korean automaker\u2019s fourth-quarter earnings to be released soon.<\/p>\n
The voluntary recall also comes in the middle of the automaker\u2019s big marketing campaign for its Ioniq 5 line. Ioniq is the first battery-electric model from its dedicated EV brand.<\/p>\n
See Related Story:<\/strong> Hyundai to Release Dedicated Electric Vehicle Line under Ioniq Brand<\/a><\/p>\n Hyundai Motor Company on Monday launched the Ioniq 5 midsize EV during a virtual world premiere event. As the first model in Hyundai\u2019s new Ioniq brand dedicated to battery electric vehicles (BEV), Ioniq 5 sets the benchmark to redefine the electric mobility lifestyle with sustainable and innovative features.<\/p>\n \u201cIONIQ 5 will accommodate lifestyles without limits, proactively caring for customers\u2019 needs throughout their journey,\u201d said Thomas Schemera, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer said in a statement<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cIt is truly the first electric vehicle to provide a new experience with its innovative use of interior space and advanced technologies,\u201d Schemera said.<\/p>\n Hyundai plans to sell 70,000 of the vehicles built on its EV-dedicated platform this year and 100,000 units in 2022.<\/p>\n\n
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