A spell of Hyundai electric vehicles (EV) are coming to a sudden halt in the US, but the company doesn’t seem too concerned about long-term repercussions for its business.
At Hyundai’s investor day on Tuesday (June 20) in Seoul, the Korean automaker reinforced its commitment to a transition to EVs as part of a strategy it called “Hyundai Motor Way.” The plan for the company’s future includes investment of 109.4 trillion won ($85.41 billion) in the next decade, of which nearly a third (35.8 trillion won, $27.8 billion) is earmarked for electrification.
The company aims to sell 2 million EVs by the end of the decade, an increase of about 7% from its current sales volumes. Key to that goal is a boost in sales in Europe and the US, where the company is currently under being probed for issues related to its Ioniq 5 model.
Dozens of 2022 model-year Hyundai Ioniq 5 owners have complained of completely or partially losing propulsive power, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) notice posted on Saturday (June 16).
“Many consumers report a loud pop noise followed by a warning displayed on their dashboard and immediately experience a loss of motive power that ranges from a reduction to a complete loss of motive power,” the US agency noted.
Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, and other platforms have been flooded with such complaints for the last few months. The highway authority opened an investigation to investigate the scope and severity of the problem on June 8, as per the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) document. So far, no crashes, fires, injuries, or fatalities, have been associated with the blips.
Quotable: Hyundai’s hopes for the upcoming Ioniq 5 N
“As it originated from Pony, the IONIQ 5 N—a high-performance EV scheduled for unveiling in July—will embrace and carry forward the enduring heritage of Hyundai Motor Company.” —Hyundai president and CEO Jaehoon Chang in a statement on June 20
What is causing the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 to stall mid-ride?
The incidents are linked to the car’s Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU), which charges both high voltage batteries and spare batteries in a vehicle, the Korean automaker told the NHTSA.
A preliminary review indicates too much current within the unit can damage transistors, resulting in the inability to recharge the 12V battery, the roads authority said.
A spokesperson for Hyundai told the Associated Press the automaker was fully cooperating with the agency’s investigation and that it would, starting next month, offer a software update and replace affected components if necessary.
2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 issues, by the digits
30: Complaints alleging the loss of motive power in the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 received by the NHTSA
39,559: An estimate of how many 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 vehicles are on the roads
Months: How long the wait for a replacement ICCU is for many customers, according to replies on a Reddit forum
A brief timeline of Hyundai Ioniq 5 recalls
February: Hyundai recalls over 9,500 Ioniq 5s over “incorrect weight information on the type plate.” A third of the affected cars are registered in Germany.
May: In America, Hyundai recalled some 2022 Ioniq 5 vehicles because of a software error in the Shifter Control Unit (SCU) which could cause the parking brake on these models to disengage and let the vehicle roll away, thereby increasing the risk of a crash or injury. Over 10,000 Ioniq 5 cars are affected.
Related stories
🔥 New York-listed NIO’s recalling a third of its flagship EV after recent fire incidents