Kia recalls nearly 2,700 first-generation Soul EVs over battery fire risk

Kia has issued a recall for Soul EVs, affecting a total of 2,689 units of the vehicles, over a potential battery fire risk. The South Korean automaker has stated that the Kia Soul EVs affected by the recall were built between 2015 and 2019. Also, these Kia Soul EVs come equipped with an E400 high-voltage battery pack, which is at the centre of the discussion.

Kia has also said that some of the recalled Soul EVs have had their original battery packs replaced under warranty with E400 battery packs. These vehicles, too, have been covered under this recall campaign considering the potential battery fire risk. The Hyundai group automobile brand has said that the recall covers all the 2018-2019 model year Soul EVs that were built between 3rd July 2017 and 28th September 2018 and come equipped with an E400 battery pack. Also, certain 2015-2017 model year Soul EVs have been recalled, which were manufactured between 15th July through 30th June 2017, too had their high voltage batteries replaced under warranty with the E400 battery pack.

While battery fire incidents involving electric vehicles are not very common, but when they happen, the consequences are pretty dramatic. Compared to internal combustion engine-powered vehicle fires, electric vehicle fires take much more effort from the firefighters and resources to put out, as the intensity of an electric vehicle battery fire is much more severe than an ICE vehicle fire incident. However, internal combustion engine-powered vehicles that run on petrol or diesel-like highly flammable fossil fuel are more prone to fire risks than electric vehicles.

In the last couple of years, the number of electric vehicles worldwide has increased drastically, keeping pace with the demands of consumers. Naturally, the number of recalls for electric vehicles by various automakers around the world has increased significantly.