Kiwi-favoured Kona EV pulled from home market

Hyundai has determined to keep exporting the five-seater, according to media reports from South Korea.

ONE of New Zealand’s most popular electric cars, the Hyundai Kona EV, has reportedly been withdrawn from sale, but only in its home market.

Media in South Korea are reporting today that Hyundai is discontinuing the model’s local availability, saying the decision to “phase the car out” locally is as a result of a massive recall due to a fire risk in the battery pack, an issue that first became public in news reports last October.

Yonhap News Agency reports that the car’s image has been tainted by a series of battery fires, which prompted the maker to recall more than 75,680 units in February jointly with battery maker LG Energy Solution Ltd.

They say the five-seater medium sport utility will continue to be built for export.

Comment about the situation and any implications for this market has been sought from the brand’s national distributor. 

Hyundai New Zealand has enjoyed great success with the model, which it introduced in 2018 and sells in $76,000 and $86,000 formats. It is poised to release a mid-life update variant with performance and range improvements plus styling and specification changes.

The fire danger issue for Kona EV also implicated the smaller Ioniq hatchback in its fully electric format and has made headlines in South Korea for some months. 

It was acknowledged by Hyundai New Zealand on February 25, a day after Hyundai Korea announcing intention to replace the batteries in 82,000 vehicles, the majority of them Konas, at cost of around $US900 million. It’s been called the biggest and most expensive recall for any electric car.

Since then Hyundai distributors around the world have progressively initiated recalls to undertake the intensive and time-consuming process of a battery swap, but it is still not clear if Hyundai NZ has started this process.

Last November it recalled 724 Kona EVs in NZ ownership – examples built between September 29, 2017, and March, 20, 2020 - having been advised by the factory that "the lithium-ion battery may have internal damage or the battery management system control software may cause an electrical short circuit after charging" which could result in a fire.

The immediate remedy for this was to change the battery management system and, if that did not work, Hyundai advised the same procedure it proposes for the global recall – pulling out the battery, a hefty and large item which completely fills out under the floor and is all but a structural component, and replacing it.

When last approached for comment, in late February, a spokesperson for the Auckland-based distributor said it was aware of the situation “however, (we) are waiting for official communication from Hyundai Motor Company with regards to this recall and the number of EVs affected here in New Zealand.

“Safety of our customers is paramount, so as soon as we have a list of affected vehicles we will contact those customers to advise next steps.”

As of mid-afternoon today, no action for the problem had been notified on the national new vehicle recalls register.

When the story broke, a major South Korean news outlet, Business Korea, reported 15 individual incidents of battery-related fires as having been recorded in Kona EVs. Similar fires have also been reported in Ioniq electric cars.

Since this matter first aired Hyundai has announced a new generation electric car, the Five, produced under a freshly-established sub-brand that it (confusingly) also calls Ioniq.

The Ioniq 5 will release in New Zealand late this year; it is a larger, more powerful car than the Kona EV and, being based on a new bespoke platform and having more technology, is expected to be rather more expensive.

Korean news agencies said today that Hyundai will from now on promote the Ioniq 5 as its primary electric offering in South Korea.

 Hyundai will only sell Kona EVs in stock for the domestic market, while continuing to export them to overseas markets, company officials said.

Yonhap reported that the production of Kona EVs has been halted since March “in consideration of the domestic demand and to realign the assembly line for new EVs."

Hyundai sold more than 10,000 Kona EVs in South Korea in 2018 and 2019, but sales dropped to about 8000 units last year following the fires and what Yonhap has described as “the maker's mishandling of the recall programme.”

Hyundai sold only 984 units in the domestic market in the first quarter, a 40 percent drop from a year earlier, while its overseas sales fell 17.9 percent on-year to 7428 units, its financial reports showed.

The brand has high hopes for Ioniq 5, saying it has received strong responses in the domestic market alone, drawing over 40,000 preorders so far.

Ioniq 5 taking off – other EVs recall status pending

Hyundai New Zealand is focusing on the positives of its battery charge; but where does that leave Kona and Ioniq EV owners?

NZ interest in the Ioniq 5 coming in the second part of 2021 has been immediate.

 KIWI interest in the latest Hyundai electric car since its reveal a week ago is being celebrated by the brand’s distributor – however, it has still to reconcile an issue tied to two battery-dedicated models already here.

In respect to the Ioniq Five, which made its global reveal on February 23 the first product from the Korean giant’s new electric sub-brand, Hyundai New Zealand says pre-orders have opened for a futuristic model set to land in the second part of the year and that the count has reached double figures.

Spokesman woman Kimberley Waters later clarified this to “20 pre-orders” since a specific webpage went live two days ago. Many more EV enthusiasts have sought information.

HNZ asks for a $500 deposit with each pre-order, but says that will be fully refundable if the intending buyer has a change of mind.

No price has been established for the five-seater medium crossover, the first model built on Hyundai Motor Group’s new dedicated architecture for battery electric vehicles, called Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), and the New Zealand market specification is not yet clear. The car’s drawcard elements include eco-friendly materials of its interior design, to ultra-fast charging and vehicle-to-load function.

“We are really pleased by the initial interest in the IONIQ 5. Our team and dealer network are really excited about bringing this EV into New Zealand, and it seems many other EV enthusiasts are too,” says Andy Sinclair, Hyundai NZ’s general manager.

“In a matter (of) days we’ve had a large volume of people register their interest to hear more about this vehicle, as well as pre-orders.”

Ioniq Five’s roll out has timed with a big challenge for Hyundai and its sales agencies – the need to recall electric Kona SUV and Ioniq hatchback cars built since 2018 to replace their battery packs and battery management systems.

This requirement is triggered by fears of a potential fire risk.

 Many countries have already initiated a recall. Waters says HNZ has yet to receive an official notification from Seoul.

“We have still not received official notification from Hyundai Motor Company, so until we have full details regarding the recall campaign we are unable to fully initiate our recall process here in New Zealand.

“One of the first steps in the recall process is to notify/inform Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and the CEO of the Motor Industry Association, and then begin communicating with customers with affected vehicles.

“When that happens, the recall will appear on the Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency recall website.“

Hyundai NZ says it is still awaiting official notification of need to recall the Kona EV and Ioniq EV hatch.

Remedial action that Hyundai Motors has said is required is a massive and expensive job; 82,000 electric vehicles are drawen in – the majority being Kona EVs, but the fully-electric version of the Ioniq hatch (sold here) is also involved, as are some buses (not sold here). 

The remedy is a complete replacement of the lithium-ion battery that feeds the cars’ electric propulsion. The total to Hyundai Motor is estimated to be at least $NZ1.2 billion, making it the most expensive EV recall ever.  

According to the Korea Herald newspaper, Hyundai will begin the replacement process at the end of this month March in the domestic market and from April in overseas markets.

It proposes a major logistical issue for the brand’s  overseas’ agencies as the batteries will have to be shipped by sea and then fitted locally, once the subject cars have been divested of the original items, which will also require safe disposal. New Zealand does not have facility for disassembly of such batteries.

It said the battery system subject to the replacement was manufactured by South Korea’s No.1 battery maker LG Energy Solutions, between November 2017 and March 2020. LG Energy is a key affiliate of the country’s leading chemical firm LG Chem Ltd, it said.

Another Korean news outlet, Business Korea, reported recently that since its launch in 2018, the Kona EV has suffered a total of 15 fires — 11 in South Korea and four overseas. Fires have also been reported in Ioniqs, and on February 15, in a Hyundai electric bus. No fires have been reported in New Zealand.

Three previous recall for the Kona are listed on the NZTA website, one specific to the EV, issued in October. This was an issue with the battery system that might also lead to a fire. The recall proposed a software update as a primary measure to address the issue. In at least one case, a NZ-new car required a complete battery change.

The owner of that car, which returned to the road last month after 68 days in an accredited workshop, has spoken with MotoringNZ. He is unsure if the replacement is of the same kind that requires replacement or if it has an improved battery.

 Hyundai gives its full EVs an eight warranty on the battery; conceivably that would refresh with a replacement.

Latest Kona EV kerfuffle not the first glitch

Requirement to change the Kona EV’s battery has a familiar ring to some NZ owners.

The Kona EV battery effectively fills out the entire floor area.

A PROBABLE recall that demands replacing the lithium ion battery that powers in Hyundai’s highest-profile electric car seems set to hit hundreds of Kiwi owners, including a handful for whom this could well seem deja vu.

Comment from electric vehicle owners about yesterday’s MotoringNZ story relating how Hyundai is moving toward recalling its Kona electric car internationally – and potentially also at least some examples of the battery-pure version of the Ioniq – following a spate of fires in South Korea, has drawn attention to the Kona already being subject to a remedial action here that began five months ago, is only now wrapping up and also sometimes demands the same extreme action of a complete battery exchange.

In November, Hyundai New Zealand recalled 724 Kona EVs it had sold, having been advised by the factory that "the lithium-ion battery may have internal damage or the battery management system control software may cause an electrical short circuit after charging" which could result in a fire.

It is unclear if this is the same fault at the centre of the recent fires overseas.

The immediate remedy for this was to change the battery management system and, if that did not work, Hyundai advised the same procedure it proposes for this new recall – pulling out the battery, a hefty and large item which completely fills out under the floor and is all but a structural component, and replacing it.

Hyundai NZ has said it awaiting confirmation that the Kona EV will be recalled again, however reports from overseas say this is a given and from the tenor of comment it has offered, the local distributor also seemed resigned.

This latest action is a whopper. It is expected to cost $US900 million to execute, a sum that makes it the most expensive recall involving an EV so far, and will cover 82,000 vehicles worldwide.

Conceivably, it will draw in the NZ cars involved in last year’s recall. These were built between September 29, 2017, and March, 20, 2020.

It is thought many were put right with an update to the battery management software. However not all these examples were remedied that easily.

the updated Kona, due to come here later this year, has the same battery pack as cars likely to be recalled.

MotoringNZ has spoken with a North Island Kona owner whose car, bought in 2018, was off the road from early December until mid-February while it awaited a battery replacement. His vehicle has since faulted again. Learning that it might require yet another battery was exasperating news. 

Kimberley Waters, a spokeswoman for Hyundai NZ, explained the original action.

“We updated the BMS software to allow for detection of abnormalities in the high-voltage battery system while parked.

 “If the software detected any early electronics deficiencies a full battery replacement was required.

“We are 96 percent through the initial recall and through the inspection process some Li-ion batteries were identified as needing replacing.”

The latest action has resulted after a Korean government investigation into why Hyundai EVs – which included a bus as well as some cars - were catching fire. That probe revealed the possibility of short circuits in certain defective battery cells produced by the supplier, LG Energy Solution.

According to Reuters news agency, the battery maker and automaker are currently hashing out a deal to split the cost associated with completely replacing batteries for the EVs.

It's not clear if this news will push back the arrival of the updated Kona EV, which has already been revealed globally and was supposed to arrive in New Zealand this year. The refreshed car boasts an updated design, but its electric powertrain continues unchanged.

Hyundai NZ awaiting EV fire risk recall news

Remedial action for Kona and Ioniq EVs has begun in South Korea; battery replacement for Kona has been proposed.

POTENTIAL that two popular Hyundai electric cars might be drawn into a massively expensive recall triggered by a fire danger that has made headlines in South Korea has been acknowledged by the make’s New Zealand distributor.

Hyundai New Zealand says it is aware of the situation in the marque’s home market in respect to a spate of battery fires reported there in the Ioniq and Kona electric models.

No such events have been reported in New Zealand.

The tenor of the reply from the make’s representative, an independent distributor, in respect to questions about this seems to leave impression a recall might not be out of the question, all the same.

This is supported by latest reports from Seoul, in which the brand is on record as saying it intends to replace the batteries in 82,000 electric vehicles, including 75,680 Kona EVs, 5515 Ioniqs and 305 buses at a cost of more than $US900 million, a record amount for an EV recall.

This comes after multiple South Korean news outlets have reported the manufacturer will voluntarily replace batteries, made by another Korean brand, LG Chem, in all local market examples.

While ignored by mainstream news outlets, the issue has nonetheless become a hot topic of discussion in recent weeks for EV owners subscribing to a national Facebook forum.

Hyundai NZ spokeswoman Kimberley Waters said today that “to date, there have been no fires recorded in NZ attributable to this condition.” 

She did not address a question asking if owners have expressed concern to Hyundai NZ. 

In respect to the potential for a recall, she offered: “We are aware of the news that has come out of Korea.

“However, (we) are waiting for official communication from Hyundai Motor Company with regards to this recall and the number of EVs affected here in New Zealand.

“Safety of our customers is paramount, so as soon as we have a list of affected vehicles we will contact those customers to advise next steps.”

A major South Korean news outlet, Business Korea, has reported 15 individual incidents of battery-related fires having been recorded in Kona EVs.

Similar fires have also been reported in Ioniq electric cars. Recently, a Hyundai electric bus caught on fire while operating in Seoul. 

Hyundai has also been caught up in an issue with the Tucson sports utility, citing a potential fire risk deriving from a braking circuit board.

The Kona launched in 2018, a year after the Ioniq released here as Hyundai’s first electric car. A heavily updated Kona EV is set for release in NZ soon and, of course, Hyundai has just revealed its first electric car to be sold under a new sub-brand, called Ioniq, that is intended to go on sale here in the second part of 2021.

Kona update enhances range, styling

Two years on from initial launch, the Kona is being updated.

WHAT’S more important for an electric car – decent range or decent looks? 

From the detail Hyundai has given out in respect to the updates that are coming to its battery-compelled Kona next year, the answer to that, is ‘both.’ 

The big changes to a model set to land before June are that it looks sharper – albeit somewhat more Tesla-esque - thanks to a big styling makeover and, even though the battery pack capacity is unchanged at 64kWh, it will go further on a charge.

The driving range is now being listed at up to 484km (WLTP). Not a big improvement on the current model, which is claimed to achieve 449kms, but with battery drive, every extra ‘kay’ helps. The electric motor puts out mated to a 150kW/395Nm electric motor,

 The restyling isn’t as drastic as it might appear. Those slim, high-set daytime lights and lower driving lights were already in place, although the latter have grown bigger. What’s different is that the dimpled cladding that wrapped the lower nose panel has now been restyled and reprofiled.

Also looking smarter are the recharging times. The maker claims a battery at just 10 percent charge can be replenished to 80 percent in just 47 minutes when connected to a 100kW charger, and 64 minutes when connected to a 50kW charger.

The Kona upgrades its safety suite, to include active rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot alert and collision avoidance, and leading vehicle departure alert. 

The rear seats are now heated and occupants there are provisioned with a set of USB ports for charge any devices. It also gets a 10.25-inch digital cluster behind the steering wheel for the driver. This complements the 10.25-inch infotainment screen.

A point to note. Although some markets will achieve this car with a smaller battery, Hyundai New Zealand is sticking with just the 64kWh version.

Paddon’s electric rally car push times with EVs in motorsport review

Battery-compelled vehicles are moving into motor racing and the sport’s national governing body is now working out how to accommodate them.

haydon paddon’s groundbreaking electric rally car, pictured during construction, will be fully revealed tomorrow. It is based on the Hyundai Kona electric car, pictured below.

THE public unveiling of Hayden Paddon’s highly-anticipated Hyundai Kona electric rally car tomorrow is being accompanied by a review of MotorSport NZ regulations to encourage electric vehicles in competition.

Motorsport’s national body says it is supportive of including EVs in competition and 18 months ago it established a Working Group to produce guidelines for their inclusion. The regulations are now at a final draft stage.

 ``The draft guidelines were to be released a couple of months ago but the United Kingdom recently published their regulations and guidelines so we are reviewing some of the differences,’’ said Terry Carkeek, Motorsport NZ technical manager.

``We hope to have something published by the end of November.’’

EVs can already be accommodated in some events but Carkeek says car clubs wishing to invite any battery-compelled cars to an event should contact Motorsport NZ in the first instance.

``We will then provide them with requirements based on the event and the type of vehicle being used. To date, I think we have had three requests all of which we have been able to provide guidelines for,’’ Carkeek said.

``We currently don’t see any need to limit what competition EVs may run in. There is likely to be a requirement for the venue owner to approve the use of EVs to compete on their property and we would also require the approval of the local fire and emergency agency.’’

He said EVs could compete in a separate category but there is also potential to create an equivalency formula to allow competition against conventional powertrains.

``We currently believe that standard, largely unmodified series production EVs, will be relatively easy to include in a number of motorsport disciplines,’’ said Carkeek.

``We also believe that professionally designed and constructed EVs, like Hayden’s Hyundai, should also be relatively easy to include in some events.

``For EVs that have had the high voltage system modified, we will be looking to establish a certification process for those modifications. We have had initial discussions with LVVTA with a view to using their existing standards to accept those vehicles.’’

TOM SHORT has been a pioneer of electric drive within the sport of drag racing, fronting with modified classic cars including this LH Torana.

Kiwi drag racing has been an early EV adopter with a Tesla Model S and Nissan Leaf appearing at recent Meremere Dragway street car events. 

And Taupo engineer Tom Short has built four electric drag racing cars and received a mixed reception in the straight-line sport.

Short has modified classic cars – a Datsun 1200 Coupe, an LH Torana, HT Holden Ute and most recently a 1970 LC Torana GT-R – by installing battery packs and an electric motor.

He achieved early success winning the NZ Drag Racing Association (NZDRA) Super Street national points title in the 2014-15 season with the Datsun. Other than the fact they are near-silent there is little about the performance - or appearance - of Short’s cars that identifies the pioneering role they have played in Kiwi motorsport.

Short said EVs were banned after this title win, re-admitted and then banned again by the NZDRA. At present his car is welcome at events run under International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) rules.

``They [NZDRA] said the ban was for Health and Safety reasons. Some people don’t like change,’’ said Short. 

Another area of New Zealand EV competition has been in moto trials.

A small number of Electric Motion electric trials bikes were introduced several years ago. They’ve been used in competition but are now mainly used by riders for training. 

At present the big area of EV interest is in mini trials and trail riding with the Oset brand of electric off-road bikes becoming a popular choice for 3-12-year-old riders. 

Editor’s note: The end result of a project announced two years ago, Paddon’s car is based on the Hyundai Kona, a compact fully-electric crossover that has been in the market for three years. The rally edition is a world-first for the type and delivers with four-wheel-drive, raised suspension and all the other addenda required for rallying.

It has been developed by the driver and a handful of employees, all hand-picked Kiwi engineers, working from a lock-up at Highlands Motorsport Park at Cromwell. Hyundai New Zealand, the University of Canterbury, Yes Power have supported. STARD, an Austrian racing team that specialises in electric rallycross cars, supplied the battery, inverter and motors. 

 The car is being unveiled tomorrow night in Auckland at Hyundai NZ’s headquarters.