Thousands of Australian drivers can be requested to examine their electric car batteries as half of a world recall involving greater than 100,000 automobiles.
Hyundai issued a neighborhood recall for nearly 5,000 vehicles on Friday due to a fault with its battery administration software program that would trigger a fire whereas the automotive is recharging or whereas it’s parked.
The recall entails two Hyundai fashions: the Kona EV manufactured between 2018 and 2023, and the Ioniq EV made between 2018 and 2022.
The announcement comes after the corporate started warning car house owners worldwide in March, and nearly 5 years after Hyundai Ioniq vehicles had been recalled in Australia over a separate battery subject.
The federal transport division introduced the recall of 3,478 Hyundai Kona electric automobiles and 1,402 Ioniq EVs, warning drivers they might be contacted by the producer to organise an evaluation.
“A software issue in the Battery Management System may cause an electrical short circuit while charging or parked, leading to a vehicle fire,” the recall mentioned.
“A vehicle fire could increase the risk of injury or death to vehicle occupants, other road users and bystanders.”
Hyundai Australian sellers will diagnose the automotive batteries and subject a software program replace or {hardware} repair to deal with the fault.
The Australian recall comes weeks after the South Korean producer issued a worldwide warning for 104,011 fashions probably affected by defective battery software program.
Batteries in the corporate’s Ioniq had been additionally recalled and changed in 2021 after the invention of a producing defect.
Despite issues about potential dangers with battery-powered automobiles, solely 13 electric vehicles have been concerned in fires in Australia between 2021 and March 2026, in accordance to EV Firesafe.
Two of the 13 fires had been brought on by arson assaults, 4 by high-speed collisions, three by exterior fires, and others stay underneath investigation.
