The fire damaged 140 cars and left 23 people suffering from smoke poisoning, and was not put out until eight hours of fighting. The incident highlighted the safety risks of electric cars and sparked widespread controversy in the country.
In the wake of the fire, the South Korean government also met to examine the safety of electric vehicles and consider whether to require automakers to disclose the manufacturer of the batteries installed in the cars. So buyers can weigh their decision based on another factor.
The cause of the fire was a Mercedes EQE, the model we already tested:
According to a report released in February by South Korea's Fire and Disaster Management Service, between 2013 and 2022, there were 1,399 fires in underground garages in the country, 43.7 percent of which were caused by vehicles, the report said. ReutersElectric vehicles were responsible for more than half of these fires. Automotive experts say electric vehicle fires are very different from combustion engine fires because batteries tend to re-ignite, making for a longer and more difficult firefighting operation.
An automotive professor at Osan University in South Korea believes that making battery manufacturers public will not solve the problem. He stressed that stricter requirements for fire safety certifications for batteries could be more effective in preventing fires.
Numerous images emerged in the media after the parking lot fire, showing rows of charred cars, with only their metal frames left. The footage has heightened consumer concerns about electric cars, especially among those living in the small apartments common in South Korean cities, who often park their cars in garages.
This is how the fire started:
Received) Electric car fire in Incheon apartment
Does a fire occur while parking the car instead of charging? Thief
What kind of car? .😵💫 pic.twitter.com/EnzdsBFcn6— The Sun (@_universe_sun_) August 1, 2024
In the country, representatives from Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz Korea and Volkswagen Group also took part in government negotiations, discussing the situation. According to Reuters, local newspaper Chosun Ilbo reported that South Korea plans to introduce mandatory disclosure regulations for EV battery manufacturers. Currently, automakers are only required to provide limited information about batteries, and future regulations are aimed at giving buyers a more complete picture of vehicle safety.
