Cake 0 Emission USA Incorporated, which is Cake Motorcycles’ American department, issued a security recall for sure 2018 via 2023 Cake Kalk&, Kalk Ink&, and Kalk :work bikes as a consequence of a possible battery security situation.
On affected bikes, lithium ion battery cells with particular chemical compositions may fail throughout charging. This, in flip, may result in smoke, and probably additionally to the battery catching hearth.
Approximately 264 items may doubtlessly be concerned on this recall, which represents about 50 % of the inhabitants in response to Cake’s information.
The affected Kalks had been produced between January 1, 2018 and November 1, 2023. Their VINs vary from YW2C1M108KT000001 to YW2C1M104PT002060 and will not be sequential.
Under Description of the trigger, Cake’s official recall report reads:
“Cells in certain Cake Kalk battery packs have slightly different chemical composition and can be pushed outside their operating range in certain rare cases, which can lead to cell failure. These potential failures will happen during charging.”
As for any warning indicators that this situation exists with a Kalk battery, Cake lists “abnormal battery behavior, including failed charging, significantly reduced range, and power cut-off while driving.”
According to the official Cake worldwide chronology of this drawback, the corporate acquired a report in October 2023 of an unbiased Cake seller in Seoul, South Korea having a Kalk catch hearth whereas charging. An investigation involving Cake and the native hearth division tore down the battery concerned and carried out an evaluation. It then started figuring out all batteries which have the identical cells.
As of December 29, 2023, Cake 0 Emission USA says that it has not acquired any guarantee claims or experiences associated to this situation within the US.
What’s Involved In The Recall Remedy
According to Cake, the recall will contain changing the present lithium ion battery in affected Kalks with a unique one which makes use of battery cells with a unique chemical composition. These batteries ought to turn out to be accessible in March 2024.
In the meantime, Cake plans to ship interim notification letters to homeowners on or earlier than January 12, 2024. Owners might be requested to test their battery’s serial quantity to find out whether or not it’s a unit affected by this recall.
In the occasion {that a} buyer’s battery is affected by this recall, Cake has interim charging directions for these clients to observe till the substitute battery packs can be found.
Once the substitute battery packs can be found, Cake will ship a second letter to let clients know that the substitute battery packs have arrived. The firm will even present directions to interchange the prevailing battery pack, in addition to for disposal of the previous battery pack.
Owners might contact Cake customer support by way of electronic mail at service@ridecake.com. Owners might also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Association Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or go to www.nhtsa.gov.