Chris Hasford has been driving a hybrid truck for years. He likes it so much that when his wife needed a car to get to school, he said they decided to go electric. “We figured that it would be great to invest in a fully electric vehicle, to not have to worry about gas, or have to worry about maintenance,” he said. They purchased a bright blue used 2020 Kia Soul EV, which his wife named Dory after the character in Finding Nemo. But a few months after purchase, the check engine light came on. “They said that there was a problem with the inverter of the vehicle, which they quickly replaced under warranty,” said Hasford. But more problems followed, and each repair showed more damage in the battery pack. He said there was also a dispute whether the repairs necessary to fix the car would be covered by warranty. During this time Hasford said his car was sitting on a lot, and for five months his wife had to go without a car. It was only when he sent a letter threatening legal action that the dealership gave them a courtesy car. His case was transferred to Kia Canada, who determined his car needs a new battery pack. They told him the battery pack would have to be shipped to Montreal from Korea, which means the car won’t be repaired until December. “I find it very surprising that such a leader in electric vehicles doesn’t have the critical part of the electric car, which is the battery pack,” he said. George Iny, of the Automobile Protection Association, says while Kia is a leader in the EV market, there are problems with its parts distribution. “Kia’s customer support and ability to supply parts is pretty much a disaster,” he said. “It’s one of the brands where we have the most frequent complaints.” Kia Canada did not respond to a request for comment from CTV News before publication time.
