Hyundai and Kia face class action lawsuit over EV battery charging defect

Hyundai and Kia Motors are facing a new class action lawsuit over a defect related to electric vehicle (EV) battery charging.

Amid an increasing number of lawsuits concerning faulty vehicles and a rise in vehicle thefts, Hyundai and Kia have been served with yet another legal challenge. The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California received the class action lawsuit on July 26, naming Hyundai Motor America, Genesis North America, and others as defendants for their involvement in charging port overheating issues.

The lawsuit, brought forward by consumers and represented by Pasadena-based law firm Hagens Berman, alleges that Hyundai and Kia violated consumer protection laws and seeks a jury trial.

The complaint claims that Hyundai and Kia advertised their cars as capable of charging at up to 48 amps, but in reality, the charging rate was limited to 28 amps or less. Consequently, a full charge that should take four to five hours at 48 amps extends to more than double the time at 28 amps.

The plaintiffs assert that this issue results from a defect in the charging port design, leading vehicle owners to constantly monitor the charging status and disrupting their daily routines due to inadequate battery charging.

The affected models include Hyundai Ioniq 5, Hyundai Ioniq 6, Genesis GV60, and Kia EV6.

Hyundai issued a software update last spring to address the charger defect, but the plaintiffs argue that this solution is insufficient. They contend that consumers paid for fast-charging capabilities, but the cars are not performing as advertised.

Hagens Berman is inviting affected vehicle owners to join the class action via their website (www.hbsslaw.com/cases/hyundai-kia-genesis-ev-battery-charge-defect). Notably, Hagens Berman previously secured a $200 million settlement in May in another class action lawsuit involving stolen Hyundai and Kia vehicles. The firm assures potential class members that they won’t incur any costs related to the claim, as all matters will be handled by attorneys.

Additionally, Hyundai faces criticism for its lack of anti-theft updates. Vehicle data company Carfax recently reported that approximately 5 million Hyundai and Kia vehicles require security measure updates to prevent theft.

BY YEOL JANG [jang.yeol@koreadaily.com]