Multiple U.S. owners of Hyundai's popular Ioniq 5 electric SUV have complained of completely or partially losing propulsive power, many after hearing a loud popping noise, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Saturday.
Hyundai said it would offer a software update beginning next month and replace affected components if necessary.
The NHTSA said in a notice posted online that it received 30 complaints about the problem in 2022 models, of which it estimated 39,500 were on U.S. highways.
The Office of Defects Investigation at the NHTSA has opened a preliminary investigation and says Hyundai indicated in an initial review that a power surge was damaging transistors, preventing vehicles' 12-volt battery from recharging.
Hyundai spokesperson Ira Gabriel said the company was fully cooperating with the investigation and was launching a service campaign in July to update affected vehicles' software and, if necessary, replace the component involved. It's called an Integrated Control Charging Unit.
General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Stellantis and Volkswagen have also issued recalls since February of 2020, most due to internal battery failures that can increase the risk of fires.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board also investigated a series of fires in Tesla vehicles and said the high-voltage lithium-ion batteries pose safety risks to first responders after crashes.
Many governments are counting on EVs to replace gasoline-burning vehicles that emit greenhouse gases that cause global warming.
Nestlé has dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe after an investigation into an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate. The company announced on Monday that the dismissal was effective immediately. An investigation found that Freixe violated Nestlé’s code of conduct. He had been CEO for a year. Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive, will replace him. Chairman Paul Bulcke stated that the decision was necessary to uphold the company’s values and governance. Navratil began his career with Nestlé in 2001 and has held various roles, including CEO of Nestlé's Nespresso division since 2024.
Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a massive merger that created one of the biggest food companies on the planet. One of the companies will include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. When the company formed in 2015 it wanted to capitalize on its massive scale, but shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking to introduce healthier options at the table. Kraft Heinz's net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.
