I recommend installing a bluetooth monitor on your 12V battery and follow the charging behaviour of your car. I haven’t checked for a Kona but quite likely you will see the same as for an Ioniq 5. The car remains quite active for a few hours after any driving or charging and this drains the 12V battery. The car then recharges the 12V battery. More activity (including BlueLink access) will drain the battery and lead to more recharging. The frequency of recharging depends on the level of activity and the temperature (which influences the capacity of the 12V battery). If you leave the car alone for a week, BlueLink shuts down and battery recharging significantly drops in frequency. All this recharging costs power which is annoying but the biggest problem occurs when recharging does not occur because the main battery is below a certain percentage of charge that the manufacturer has determined. No recharging means the 12V battery suffers and takes harm. Repeatedly doing this will lead it to fail sooner rather than later.
AGM is still lead acid, just more resistant to sulfation and stratification. 12v is chosen instead of 24v (used in large trucks) or more is to benefit from the vast availability of 12v components and to reduce problems related to arcing in contacts designed for DC currents. Manufacturers would love to use 48v because it would reduce their costs in wiring since it would require one quarter of the copper in the wires, but don't do so because of these complications.
Great video and very relevant topic! I have a Kona EV (2019 model). The 12V battery died (shortly after the time the boot wasn't properly closed and the inside light drained the battery). Managed to jump start at first. But after a few times, even this wasn't possible. Luckily, it was during the first 2 years of the car and the 12V battery was still under warranty. So was changed free of charge.
Great video and explanation! Thank you! I'm wondering if some of the oddities in my '22 (like the wireless phone charger not working despite a good fuse) might be a weak 12V.
I have a Model Y with the older 12v battery. I read somewhere the new 16V lithium batteries in Teslas should last 10 years, another source said 20. So they should be very long lasting.
My Kona is a 2021 (looks exactly the same). My Kona has the yellow light on - showing it is charging the 12VDC on a regular basis. Is my 12v battery is going?
Hi! Thank you so much for making this videos, I've watched almost all of them. Wondering if I can pick your brain on this. What do you know about Lectron adapter to use on Teslas Supercharger. Do you know anybody that has one here in Canada? Actually picking up my Kona today...!
It is needed, as something needs to turn on the main battery, and also runs low voltage systems. It is lead acid, because it is proven technology, cheap and easy to replace. It can be Li-ion, but these are much more expensive and not needed.
As a '21 Kona EV owner, I second the suggestion to have a jump pack in your car. I've had my car not start a few times before getting a new 12V battery. The jump pack was a time and hassle saver. Also, I dont believe it is a good idea to try and boost a dead ICE vehicle with the Kona EV's smaller battery. With my jump pack I was able to help an ICE driver start their car in February after it died, with no risk to our EV....
This does not apply to a Tesla car made from 2022 onward. The 12 volt lead acid battery was replaced by a 16 volt lithium battery that should last the life of the car. It uses the same technology as the main propulsion battery and is bolted in place.
The ONLY reason a 12V battery is needed in an EV is to power up the contactors that provide isolation between the HV battery and the rest of the cars electrical systems. This system is required for safety. ALL the 12V gear COULD be run from a DC-DC converter, including lights, infotainment etc etc, in theory.
Makes no sense. If you already have a really big battery why not power everything from it? All you need is a fuse box correct? Like a house. You get a big voltage into the circuit breaker box, then that spilts it up into smaller voltages. Why do the same?
Thank you Salomon. 😅
I recommend installing a bluetooth monitor on your 12V battery and follow the charging behaviour of your car. I haven’t checked for a Kona but quite likely you will see the same as for an Ioniq 5. The car remains quite active for a few hours after any driving or charging and this drains the 12V battery. The car then recharges the 12V battery. More activity (including BlueLink access) will drain the battery and lead to more recharging. The frequency of recharging depends on the level of activity and the temperature (which influences the capacity of the 12V battery). If you leave the car alone for a week, BlueLink shuts down and battery recharging significantly drops in frequency. All this recharging costs power which is annoying but the biggest problem occurs when recharging does not occur because the main battery is below a certain percentage of charge that the manufacturer has determined. No recharging means the 12V battery suffers and takes harm. Repeatedly doing this will lead it to fail sooner rather than later.
Clear, concise, and informative, as always; thanks for the video.
AGM is still lead acid, just more resistant to sulfation and stratification. 12v is chosen instead of 24v (used in large trucks) or more is to benefit from the vast availability of 12v components and to reduce problems related to arcing in contacts designed for DC currents. Manufacturers would love to use 48v because it would reduce their costs in wiring since it would require one quarter of the copper in the wires, but don't do so because of these complications.
I have a 2023 Kona EV and I find your channel very useful. I planned a trip this summer from Edmonton to Jasper y watching your video on your trip.
Great video and very relevant topic! I have a Kona EV (2019 model). The 12V battery died (shortly after the time the boot wasn't properly closed and the inside light drained the battery). Managed to jump start at first. But after a few times, even this wasn't possible. Luckily, it was during the first 2 years of the car and the 12V battery was still under warranty. So was changed free of charge.
I look forward to part 2 as I intend to replace the 12v unit in my 2022 Kona EV in a few months. Thanks!
Great video and explanation! Thank you! I'm wondering if some of the oddities in my '22 (like the wireless phone charger not working despite a good fuse) might be a weak 12V.
I have a Model Y with the older 12v battery. I read somewhere the new 16V lithium batteries in Teslas should last 10 years, another source said 20. So they should be very long lasting.
My Kona is a 2021 (looks exactly the same). My Kona has the yellow light on - showing it is charging the 12VDC on a regular basis. Is my 12v battery is going?
Hi! Thank you so much for making this videos, I've watched almost all of them. Wondering if I can pick your brain on this. What do you know about Lectron adapter to use on Teslas Supercharger. Do you know anybody that has one here in Canada? Actually picking up my Kona today...!
It is needed, as something needs to turn on the main battery, and also runs low voltage systems.
It is lead acid, because it is proven technology, cheap and easy to replace. It can be Li-ion, but these are much more expensive and not needed.
As a '21 Kona EV owner, I second the suggestion to have a jump pack in your car. I've had my car not start a few times before getting a new 12V battery. The jump pack was a time and hassle saver. Also, I dont believe it is a good idea to try and boost a dead ICE vehicle with the Kona EV's smaller battery. With my jump pack I was able to help an ICE driver start their car in February after it died, with no risk to our EV....
This does not apply to a Tesla car made from 2022 onward. The 12 volt lead acid battery was replaced by a 16 volt lithium battery that should last the life of the car. It uses the same technology as the main propulsion battery and is bolted in place.
The ONLY reason a 12V battery is needed in an EV is to power up the contactors that provide isolation between the HV battery and the rest of the cars electrical systems. This system is required for safety. ALL the 12V gear COULD be run from a DC-DC converter, including lights, infotainment etc etc, in theory.
Makes no sense. If you already have a really big battery why not power everything from it? All you need is a fuse box correct? Like a house. You get a big voltage into the circuit breaker box, then that spilts it up into smaller voltages. Why do the same?