U.S. regulators have launched an investigation affecting nearly 40,000 Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric cars after reports of the EVs losing power while on the road.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched an investigation into the 2022 Ioniq 5 after receiving 30 consumer complaints that described a loss of acceleration, Reuters reported. Drivers reported hearing a loud popping noise and then seeing a warning message on the dashboard before the car’s acceleration began to fail, with some saying the car lost all power.
The NHTSA said that an initial review from Hyundai indicated that a power surge was damaging transistors and preventing the Ioniqs’ 12-volt batteries from recharging, according to the Associated Press. A Hyundai spokesperson said the company was fully cooperating with the NHTSA investigation and launching a service campaign to update the vehicles’ software and replace a component called the Integrated Control Charging Unit if necessary. The NHTSA estimates that the investigation could affect 39,500 Ioniqs on U.S. roads.
In one complaint, a driver reported traveling 75 mph on a highway when “the car became completely unresponsive.” The consumer said there was a semi-truck behind him and one to his right in the slow lane.
“The car stopped accelerating, and I was unable to resume driving,” the driver said. “I was forced to coast to a stop on the side of the highway.”
Another driver reported hearing a loud pop and “within a few seconds my car lost speed rapidly, from 55 mph to 25 then a second later 22 mph.”
There were no reports of the alleged power loss resulting in crashes.
Hyundai is not alone in dealing with issues in some of its EVs. Since 2020, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, and Volkswagen have also issued recalls largely due to battery failures that can increase the risk of fires, the AP reported. Tesla vehicles have also been investigated by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, which said that their ion-lithium batteries pose a risk to first responders after crashes.
The Biden administration has strongly advocated for electric vehicles and is currently seeking a radical shift from gas-powered to EVs within the next decade. In April, Biden proposed a plan seeking to ensure that 67% of all commercial passenger vehicles sold in the U.S. will be all-electric starting in 2032.
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As the federal government signals it will continue with heavy regulations on the industry, car manufacturers have recently pushed to produce more EVs, but for some manufacturers, that push has initially resulted in massive losses. Earlier this year, Ford projected it would lose $3 billion in 2023 as it pushes to produce more EVs and build electric battery plants in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Michigan.