EV Chaos: Hyundai Kona’s Sudden Acceleration Strikes Fear in Drivers

Hyundai Kona Electric
suspected of sudden acceleration and electrical shock incidents
Tow truck driver also electrocuted?

Electric vehicles are designed to prevent electrical shock incidents. The high-voltage battery and related systems used to drive the car are waterproof, even if the entire vehicle is submerged in water, and a power cut-off device operates in case of damage due to a collision, reducing the risk.

Thanks to this design, there were no reports of electric vehicle-caused electric shock incidents during the heavy rains that caused massive vehicle flooding in 2022. However, recent reports of electrical shock incidents from Hyundai’s Kona Electric vehicle have heightened anxiety.

The vehicle that suddenly rushed to the sidewalk
had previous suspected cases

MBC reported on the 6th that a tow truck driver who was handling the crashed electric vehicle was electrocuted when he sat in the driver’s seat. The accident occurred around 5:20 pm on the 5th near a sports center in Ilsan-dong, Goyang City. At that time, a Hyundai Kona Electric (1st generation) vehicle suddenly rushed to the sidewalk and hit a street tree and a bicycle rack.

A woman in her 40s was slightly injured in this accident. Ms. A claimed during a police investigation that “the vehicle suddenly accelerated.” Previously, in November 2020 and June 2021, similar suspected sudden acceleration incidents occurred in identical Kona Electric vehicles. In the 2020 case, the driver tried measures such as alternating between the brake and accelerator pedals, but to no avail. Especially in the 2021 incident, despite having experienced similar phenomena three times and even receiving maintenance, it eventually led to an accident.

Electrocuted immediately after pressing the ignition button
Transferred to a nearby ICU

An additional electrical shock incident occurred about 2 hours and 30 minutes after this collision. A 40-year-old tow truck driver who climbed onto the accident vehicle to clean up the scene showed paralysis symptoms as soon as he pressed the ignition button. He was transferred to a nearby hospital and received treatment in the ICU. Fortunately, it was reported that the two truck driver’s life was not in danger.

The fellow tow truck driver explained in an interview with MBC, “The reason drivers usually get into the car is to put the gear in neutral before loading the car onto the tow truck.” Meanwhile, the police have begun investigating the possibility of sudden acceleration and the cause of the electrical shock of the vehicle in the accident. Hyundai is also planning to cooperate to clarify the exact cause.

Unprecedented accident case
Lack of prevention manual

Meanwhile, this is the first time an electrical shock has been reported during the handling of an electric vehicle accident. Experts point out that accidents are always risky as high-voltage batteries are installed in electric vehicles. The Fire Department’s manual recommends wearing safety equipment with insulation functions during human rescue and fire suppression of electric cars. However, there are no guidelines to prevent electrical shock during the towing process of an accident vehicle, which is not a human rescue situation.