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Hyundai Kona EV recalled in Korea after suspected battery flaw causes fires

SEOUL — Hyundai will voluntarily recall Kona full-electric vehicles because a possible short circuit due to faulty manufacturing of its high-voltage battery cells could pose a fire risk. The recall involves 25,564 Kona EVs built between September 2017 and March 2020, South Korea's transport ministry said on Thursday. It starts on Oct. 16 and  includes software updates and battery replacements after inspections. In total, 13 incidents of fire involving the Kona EV, including one each in Canada and Austria, were documented so far, according to a statement by ruling party lawmaker Jang Kyung-tae's office on Thursday. The safety recall "is a proactive response to a suspected defective production of high-voltage batteries used in the vehicles, which may have contributed to the reported fires," Hyundai said. The automaker said it will deploy all necessary measures to identify the cause of the fires and address customers' needs. Kona EVs use batteries made by LG Chem. LG Chem said the exact cause of the fire had not been determined and a reenactment experiment conducted jointly with Hyundai had not led to a fire, so the fires could not be attributed to faulty battery cells. LG Chem added that it will participate in a future investigation with Hyundai to find the cause. In July, Hyundai Motor leader Euisun Chung said Hyundai and sister company Kia aim to sell 1 million full-electric vehicles in 2025, targeting more than 10 percent of the global market share for such vehicles. The Kona is Hyundai brand's best-selling model in Europe. Kona sales in the region rose 1.9 percent to 70,380 in the first eight months, including combustion engine versions, according to JATO Dynamics market researchers.  

Albert Biermann, the man behind some of Hyundai's sportiest cars, retires

Hyundai Motor Group, which includes Kia and Genesis, made big news by announcing at the end of 2014 that it was bringing on Albert Biermann to its research and development division. He had spent just over 30 years at BMW and was in charge of the M division before he left. His time at Hyundai led to some of the company's best driving cars, which meet or beat the global competition. But now, the company has announced Biermann is retiring. At 65 years old, it's not entirely surprising that Biermann would be looking at retirement, and he seems to be leaving on good terms. "Korea will remain as my second home, and all of my colleagues at Hyundai Motor Group will always be considered part of my family. I would like to recognize that our success has always been based on the strong collective spirit of the many talented people at Hyundai, and I will value our unique achievements wherever I live," he said in a release from Hyundai. Fortunately, Biermann will still be an Executive Technical Advisor for the company. Specifically, he'll be advising on electrified performance cars. We say fortunately, because Biermann has been so involved in some of the company's best cars. He helped make the company's rear-drive-based cars such as the Kia Stinger and Genesis models so fun to drive. He also helped setup Hyundai's N sub-brand, and the N models are among the best sport compacts in the world. Assuming Hyundai has taken to heart many things from Biermann, and with his continued advising, the company should still be in a good position. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. 2022 Hyundai Kona N Short Cut

Hyundai to recall 27,500 Genesis sedans over brake issue

Following an investigation launched by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration earlier this week, Hyundai will reportedly recall 27,500 Genesis sedans due to braking problems. Roughly 40,000 Genesis sedans from the 2009 model year were originally under investigation, but this official recall affects vehicles from 2009 to 2012.
A Hyundai spokesperson told The New York Times that brake fluid may cause the brake control unit valves to corrode, which reduces braking power. Affected cars will have their brake fluid replaced, and if necessary, will have the control unit replaced, as well.
The original NHTSA investigation was launched after the government agency received 23 complaints from owners citing reduced braking power and increased pedal travel. One incident reportedly resulted in a crash, while another caused a driver to lose control of the car. NHTSA has not officially announced the recall as of this writing.