Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1545666
48 SMT007 MAGAZINE I JULY 2026 What the Field Has Taught Us Many of the most visible EV reliability events during the past decade have involved battery systems. While public attention frequently focuses on the battery cells themselves, investigations often reveal contributions from electronic controls, sensors, connectors, thermal management systems, contac- tors, and software. Several major recalls have highlighted the impor- tance of system-level reliability management. The Chevrolet Bolt EV battery recall demonstrated how manufacturing variation, when combined with specific operating conditions, can create condi- tions that lead to thermal events. 3 Hyundai and Kia conducted extensive recall campaigns involving battery systems and charging-related concerns. 4 Jaguar's I-PACE experienced battery-related recalls and software updates intended to reduce risk while long-term corrective actions were developed. 5 These examples should not be interpreted as evidence that EV technology is inherently unreli- able. Rather, they demonstrate that reliability is a system property. Individual components may meet their requirements while interactions between components create unexpected outcomes. Similar lessons have been observed throughout the history of aerospace, telecommunications, industrial auto- mation, and conventional automotive electronics. 6 Field investigations also identify recurring failure contributors that are familiar to reliability engineers: • Moisture ingress and condensation • Corrosion of electrical interfaces • Connector degradation • Thermal cycling fatigue • Contamination-related leakage currents • Software communication faults • Sensor drift and calibration errors • Cooling system degradation • High-voltage insulation breakdown Many of these failure mechanisms develop grad- ually and may remain undetected for extended periods before producing observable symptoms. 7-12 The Rise of Predictive Maintenance Historically, maintenance occurred after a failure was observed. EV architectures are increasingly adopting predictive approaches to identify degra- dation before functional failure occurs. Battery management systems already monitor voltage,