An electric vehicle (EV) battery maker has found a possible safety issue in the batteries it makes for Fisker Automotive EVs, but says it has already found a solution to the problem.
A123 Systems Inc., developer and manufacturer of advanced lithium-ion batteries for automakers such as Fisker Automotive and General Motors Co., has pointed out a safety flaw that specifically affects the batteries it supplies to Fisker Automotive.
According to A123 Systems, hose clamps in the internal cooling system of its batteries made for Fisker Automotive were "misaligned." This misalignment could potentially cause coolant to leak, and this leak could lead to an electrical short circuit.
A123 Systems has already found a way to fix the problem, and said less than 50 vehicles were affected. It added that it continues to have a strong business relationship with Fisker.
California-based automaker Fisker is known for its high-end Karma plug-in hybrid sedan, which ranges from $102,000 to about $116,000 (U.S. December 2011 pricing). Currently, Karma production is at 25 units per day, but this may increase to 60 units per day in 2012.
Fisker isn't the only automaker with battery troubles. Earlier this year, General Motors Co.'s Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in hybrid EV, participated in a series of safety tests at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Wisconsin facility. Three weeks after a side-impact crash test, the Volt caught fire while parked in the NHTSA testing center.
Three more Volts underwent three additional crash tests later in November, and two of them flunked with battery troubles/fires while the third remained normal. GM said it would do whatever it could to fix the issue, and even provided loaner vehicles to scared Volt owners.