HYUNDAI MULLS RECALL OF KONA EV AFTER FIRE REPORTS

Hyundai Motor Co. is reviewing whether to expand a recall of Kona electric vehicles globally following multiple reports of battery fires, the company said in an emailed statement Monday. The South Korean automaker said it was in the final stages of filing a recall notice with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and was considering expanding the voluntary recall worldwide. Hyundai said it “is investigating if Kona Electric with overseas specifications requires a safety recall, and will announce recalls regionally or by a country, working closely with local authorities.” Yonhap News reported Monday that Hyundai will recall 77,000 Kona EVs worldwide. Some 16 cases of Kona EVs catching fire have been reported globally, including in Canada and Australia in 2019.