Supplier To Replace Defective Battery Packs In Fisker Karma Models

A123 Systems, the maker of electric vehicle battery packs, is replacing potential defective battery modules and packs made at its Livonia plant, in a campaign the company expects will cost about $55 million.

CEO David Vieau said company officials discovered the problem in certain prismatic cells late last week. The defect appeared to be caused by one of four automated welding machines, he said

“The actual defect rate is a fraction of what is produced from that machine, but once you put those defective cells into a pack, it increases the probability that a given pack could be defective,” Vieau said.