Hyundai and LG cut seats, fully recalled to replace batteries

On February 18, a number of South Korean media disclosed that Hyundai Motor had applied to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of South Korea to replace the power batteries of all its electric models. The media speculates that Hyundai Motor will abandon LG Chem and switch to SK power batteries, and will announce the exact news in the near future.

Since 2018, Hyundai Kona has suffered 15 fire accidents. The accident investigation report shows that the battery fire is not a software problem, so the battery must be replaced.

The recall is expected to include 21,000 IONIQs, 236 buses and 32854 Kona EVs that have been sold. The cost of battery replacement in South Korea alone will exceed 18 million US dollars. The situation of recalls in other countries and regions is not yet known, but I am afraid it is only a matter of time. This recall will not only cause huge losses to LG, but will also reduce LG's market share. Last year, BoltEV, which uses LG battery packs as Kona EV, also experienced a large-scale recall. This time Hyundai Motors has so determinedly blamed the battery pack for the problem, and the confidence of other car companies in LG batteries may be shaken.

However, SKI lost to LG in the US intellectual property lawsuit. If the SK battery is replaced, the sales of Hyundai's electric car series in the US may also be affected. Whether the output of new battery suppliers can keep up with the progress of the recall is also a question mark.

For car owners, since the probability of a battery catching fire is much lower than that of a fuel car, it is a good thing that the battery will be replaced for free.