The Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into the 2022 Kia EV6 after some house owners despatched studies complaining about lack of energy.

The company has opened a preliminary analysis to evaluate the scope and severity of the potential security defect, which might have an effect on almost 20,000 EV6 electrical crossovers.

NHTSA’s Workplace of Defects Investigation (ODI) mentioned it obtained 11 complaints in regards to the difficulty from US Kia EV6 house owners. A lot of them reported listening to a “loud pop noise adopted by a warning displayed of their dashboard,” adopted instantly by a lowered or whole lack of motive energy.

This sounds similar to the investigation the NHTSA opened final month into the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5, which shares the E-GMP electrical car platform with the Kia EV6.

After conducting a number of interviews with Kia EV6 house owners, investigators had been in a position to affirm “a spread of lack of energy and ranging time intervals between the warning message and lack of energy,” in response to a federal doc detailing the security probe.

As within the case of the Hyundai Ioniq 5, the auto security regulator mentioned there’s a “robust correlation” between the lack of motive energy and failure of the Built-in Management Charging Unit that powers the car batteries.

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One of many complaints submitted to NHTSA got here from a driver in Lengthy Seaside, California, who reported listening to a loud pop from the rear passenger facet of the car adopted by a warning gentle to examine the car’s charging system.

“All energy to the car was subsequently misplaced, immobilizing the car. Seller service division mentioned ICCU board must be changed however is on nationwide backorder. Automobile has been immobilized since,” the complainant mentioned of the April 29 incident. 

The investigation is at the moment within the preliminary analysis section, during which NHTSA engineers request data from the producer. The producer can also current its view concerning the alleged defect and should resolve to difficulty a recall.

After the analysis, NHTSA will both shut the investigation or transfer into the subsequent section. If a safety-related defect is discovered, the company could ship a “recall request” letter to the producer. Within the associated investigation involving the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5, NHTSA hasn’t reached a conclusion but.

Kia has offered 8,328 EV6 automobiles within the US within the first half of this 12 months, in response to Automotive Information information. The 2022 EV6 is the primary devoted EV launched by Kia as a part of its aim to debut eight EVs within the US by 2029.