I would put Hyundai Kona cells into a Nissan Leaf because they are cheaper. Is it possible?
- Thread starterTom
- Start date
Dear Tom,
Let’s quickly separate the question into two parts: Is it possible? and Is it allowed?
From a technical standpoint, almost any electric car battery can be modified to use a different type, as lithium cells—despite their various chemical compositions—function under nearly identical parameters. While LMP/LFP batteries differ slightly, the voltages of LMO, LNO, NCA, and NMC chemistries are quite similar. Newer Nissan LEAF models (40 kWh and 62 kWh versions) use NMC532 chemistry, whereas the Hyundai Kona uses the slightly more advanced NMC622.
So, from a technical perspective, there is no real obstacle to replacing the battery.
However, from a safety standpoint, I strongly advise against considering Hyundai Kona cells just because they are available at a good price. They are being sold cheaply for a reason—and it’s not out of goodwill. The real issue is their risk of spontaneous combustion, which initially led Hyundai to recall 75,000 vehicles to replace their entire battery packs. As battery fires continued to increase, similar recalls followed for the Chevrolet Bolt, Ioniq Electric, and eventually for over a dozen vehicle models and buses worldwide.
In total, around 250,000 battery packs were recalled due to fire hazards.
Such spontaneous fires did not only occur in cars, but also in batteries stored in warehouses, including one case in Hungary. It would be outright reckless to install one of the world’s most fire-prone batteries into a car, as it could potentially set fire to your garage, house, or worse. The only reasonable application for these batteries would be in a steel or concrete enclosure in a solar farm, where a fire wouldn’t cause casualties or major financial damage.
Legally, battery replacement is completely irrational
Especially in a country where even swapping a flickering halogen headlight bulb for a modern LED is not allowed, despite LEDs being mandatory in households for energy efficiency.
Replacing an EV battery requires obtaining a "serial modification permit for road vehicles," issued by the transport authority based on technical documentation and type-testing reports. These reports include CE, TÜV, UL, and EMI/EMC compliance tests, which are mandatory for all electronic and technical devices.
Attempting such a major modification without proper certifications would be absurd. If such a non-certified modification led to a fire, the vehicle owner would be held fully liable, facing lifetime debt or endless lawsuits trying to prove they weren’t responsible.
Worse still, imagine if the car was involved in a crash with a bus, and the poorly secured, home-welded battery pack was ejected from the vehicle, igniting the bus and killing passengers. In such a case, the owner and the unauthorized modifier could face criminal charges, including manslaughter, leading to a prison sentence.
Best regards,
Battery Doctor
If you would like to financially support the site, you can do so here, helping us with our work.
Thank you!
The MyEvDiscussion Team
Let’s quickly separate the question into two parts: Is it possible? and Is it allowed?
From a technical standpoint, almost any electric car battery can be modified to use a different type, as lithium cells—despite their various chemical compositions—function under nearly identical parameters. While LMP/LFP batteries differ slightly, the voltages of LMO, LNO, NCA, and NMC chemistries are quite similar. Newer Nissan LEAF models (40 kWh and 62 kWh versions) use NMC532 chemistry, whereas the Hyundai Kona uses the slightly more advanced NMC622.
So, from a technical perspective, there is no real obstacle to replacing the battery.
However, from a safety standpoint, I strongly advise against considering Hyundai Kona cells just because they are available at a good price. They are being sold cheaply for a reason—and it’s not out of goodwill. The real issue is their risk of spontaneous combustion, which initially led Hyundai to recall 75,000 vehicles to replace their entire battery packs. As battery fires continued to increase, similar recalls followed for the Chevrolet Bolt, Ioniq Electric, and eventually for over a dozen vehicle models and buses worldwide.
In total, around 250,000 battery packs were recalled due to fire hazards.
Such spontaneous fires did not only occur in cars, but also in batteries stored in warehouses, including one case in Hungary. It would be outright reckless to install one of the world’s most fire-prone batteries into a car, as it could potentially set fire to your garage, house, or worse. The only reasonable application for these batteries would be in a steel or concrete enclosure in a solar farm, where a fire wouldn’t cause casualties or major financial damage.
Legally, battery replacement is completely irrational
Especially in a country where even swapping a flickering halogen headlight bulb for a modern LED is not allowed, despite LEDs being mandatory in households for energy efficiency.
Replacing an EV battery requires obtaining a "serial modification permit for road vehicles," issued by the transport authority based on technical documentation and type-testing reports. These reports include CE, TÜV, UL, and EMI/EMC compliance tests, which are mandatory for all electronic and technical devices.
Attempting such a major modification without proper certifications would be absurd. If such a non-certified modification led to a fire, the vehicle owner would be held fully liable, facing lifetime debt or endless lawsuits trying to prove they weren’t responsible.
Worse still, imagine if the car was involved in a crash with a bus, and the poorly secured, home-welded battery pack was ejected from the vehicle, igniting the bus and killing passengers. In such a case, the owner and the unauthorized modifier could face criminal charges, including manslaughter, leading to a prison sentence.
Best regards,
Battery Doctor
If you would like to financially support the site, you can do so here, helping us with our work.
Thank you!
The MyEvDiscussion Team