Hyundai Motor to recall Kona EV, Nexo hydrogen SUVs to fix brakes

Hyundai Motor Co is planning to recall a total of 50,864 Kona electric cars and Nexo fuel cell vehicles in South Korea due to faulty electronic braking systems, the transport ministry said.

Their braking systems may not function due to software defects, the ministry said, but did not mention if the defects have led to accidents.

It was not immediately clear if the recall would affect other markets. Kona is one of best-selling electric vehicles in Europe and their sales outside the home market accounted for more than three quarters of the total.

The South Korean recall would cover about 40,000 Kona electric and hybrid electric vehicles produced between May 2019 and November 2020 and 10,138 Nexo fuel cell SUVs made between January 2018 and November 2020.

Affiliate Kia Motors also plans to recall an additional 1,895 Soul electric cars due to a similar issue, the ministry said.

Hyundai is also recalling at least 74,000 of its Kona EVs globally, after more than a dozen vehicles caught fire in Korea, Canada and Europe over two years.