Hyundai has issued a voluntary recall of Kona EVs in India to inspect the car's battery management system (BMS). This recall affects 456 Hyundai Kona EV that were manufactured between April 1, 2019, to October 31, 2020. It is essentially to inspect potential electrical deficiencies in the high-voltage battery system of the car. Hyundai has however not shared any more details about the malfunction but they have said the recall will take place in a phased manner and the inspection and repair will be carried out free of cost.
The official statement released by Hyundai Motor India said,
"As a responsible and caring manufacturer, Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) has initiated Kona Electric Recall to inspect possible potential of certain electrical deficiencies in the high-voltage battery system of vehicles (hereinafter collectively "Vehicles") manufactured between April 1, 2019 - October 31, 2020, at no cost to customers. HMIL will voluntarily recall the vehicles, totalling 456 numbers manufactured during the above said period. Owners of the vehicles will be notified in a phased manner to bring their vehicle for inspection at all authorized Hyundai Electric Vehicle Dealers. HMIL will deliver (the) best service and attention to customers with its strong service and support network across the country."
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Earlier this year in October, Hyundai had issued a global recall for the Kona EV for a possible short circuit due to faulty manufacturing of its high-voltage battery cells. This recall affected 25,564 Kona EVs globally that were manufactured between September 2017 and March 2020. With a potential risk of fire, these Kona EVs needed a software update and battery replacement after inspections. This recall was initiated by about 13 incident of fire involving the Kona EV.
Two of these incidents, one each in Canada and Austria, were even documented then. The batteries for the Hyundai Kona EV is manufactured by LG Chem. The Kona EV in India comes with a 39.2 kWh battery that powers a 100 kW electric motor. This setup produces 131 hp and 395 Nm of peak torque. Hyundai claims the Kona EV has a driving range of 452 km on a single charge but expect a real world driving range of about 360-370 km.
The Kona EV does come with fast charging capabilities and you can top up the batteries from 0 to 80% charge in about an hour. If you are using a regular charger, it could take up to seven to eight hours to fully charge the batteries. The Hyundai Kona EV is among only three mass market EVs that are currently sold in India, the other two being the Tata Nexon EV and the MG ZS EV. It is one of the most expensive ones but it is also the most futuristic of them all, both in terms of style and interior features as well.
