Hyundai may be doing well with the Kona Electric, but production for the local market has stopped in its home country of South Korea. Reputational damage due to fire risk is said to be partly at the root of this.
With the Kona Electric, Hyundai put a hugely successful electric car on the market, but unfortunately also one that was recently discredited several times. There would be a fire risk, according to battery supplier LG Chem, a consequence of how the battery pack is implemented in the Kona Electric. It spawned two global recalls. In the second, also here in the Netherlands, owners were called to come to the dealer to replace the battery pack. Hyundai stated in March that the battery can only fail in very exceptional situations and then cause a short circuit. There are said to be fifteen cases worldwide where this led to fires.
In South Korea, it is apparently nonetheless an important reason to completely phase out Kona Electric for the local market. That reports the South Korean news agency Yonhap News. There they are now only sold from stock. “That production has been shut down since mid-March due to the situation on the home market, but also to prepare the factory for new EVs,” a spokesperson explains in conversation with Yonhap News. “Exports to overseas markets will continue as usual.”