Hyundai will reportedly end sales of its Kona electric vehicle (EV) in its home country of South Korea due to issues that have led to large recalls of the vehicle worldwide.
The news was first reported by South Korean cable news channel YTN and the JoongAng Daily, an English-language media outlet.
The South Korean automaker did not confirm the reports, but when asked by Reuters said they were “reviewing various options” as they prepare to launch their next EV, the Ioniq 5.
The problems for the Kona began in October with Hyundai issued a voluntary recall for 25,564 Kona EVs. The recall was the result of faulty manufacturing of its battery cells which could lead to a short circuit and fire.
That recall eventually spread to North America, Europe, China, and other markets, impacting up to 51,000 units.
A separate recall followed in December, where nearly 20,000 units were recalled in Canada and the US. That was the result of an abnormal sensor signal being sent to the Integrated Electronic Brake (IEB) system which can cause a sudden reduction in braking performance.
