A man in Stoney Creek, Ont. attempted to replace the battery on his electric vehicle and was shocked to learn that it was going to cost him over $50,000 to replace.
Simrat Sooch was on his second electric vehicle, after he traded up from his last one.
“The first one I had was very reliable,” recalled Sooch, who said he was a staunch believer in EV technology during an interview with Global News.
Sooch purchased a 2017 Hyundai Ioniq, as the vehicle’s second owner. It had already been driven 69,000 kilometres but the battery was covered for up to 160,000 under the warranty.
“I figured I wouldn’t have any issues with it,” said Sooch.
However after a warning light came on the Ioniq’s dashboard, Sooch took it into the dealership. The dealership’s technicians looked into the issue but could not diagnose the problem and the light eventually turned off.
The vehicle quit charging two weeks after that appointment and Sooch brought it back into the dealership. The technicians ran a diagnostics check and it was determined that the Sooch needed a new battery.
Including the cost of installation and taxes, the quote for the new battery came to be over $50,000.
Since the battery failed at 172,345 kilometres, it had surpassed the 160,000 kilometre-warranty.
“I felt like I got kicked in the privates,” said Sooch, who was now left with either paying the $50,000 or outright scrapping the car.
Ultimately, Sooch scrapped the car because the cost of repairs far exceeded the total value of the vehicle.
Sooch attempted to get some help from Hyundai Canada in covering part of the cost but he said they directed him back to the dealership which caused him to give up.
Hyundai Canada released a response to the incident, saying that “comprehensive diagnostic tests were not completed on the vehicle … (and the vehicle) … was scrapped by the customer before these diagnostic procedures could be completed, precluding a definitive assessment of the required service.”
The statement also said that the initial estimate given to Sooch “was not representative of the likely actual cost in this case.”
“We sincerely apologize to Mr. Sooch for these lapses in communication and service,” reads the statement.
Additionally, Hyundai Canada plans to “resolve this situation by paying fair market value for his vehicle either in cash or towards a new Hyundai, as part of our commitment to our customers.”
Sooch’s story is not unique, earlier this year a Winnipeg man had a disastrous family vacation when his EV truck broke down due to a lack of charging stations before having to have his battery replaced as well, which took another six months.
