Mercedes-Benz Fire Could Cast Shadow Over Korea’s Electric Vehicle Transformation – BNN Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) — A Mercedes-Benz electric car that caught fire in the South Korean city of Incheon has sparked public concern in recent months about the safety of battery-powered cars.

The incident left 23 people hospitalized with smoke inhalation and left more than 200 families homeless for weeks. Authorities said it took more than eight hours to extinguish the fire, which broke out after an unplugged electric sedan exploded in an apartment complex’s underground parking lot in July.

Since then, there has been widespread concern about electric vehicles, a phenomenon that local media have dubbed “EV phobia.” Most apartment buildings across the country have issued notices advising EV owners to be careful when charging their cars, and some have even banned EVs from entering or parking their buildings altogether.

The public outcry prompted the government to introduce a set of regulations earlier this month to ease concerns. One is a requirement for carmakers to disclose the make of the battery used in their vehicles.

Although batteries are a key component of electric cars and can pose serious safety risks if not manufactured or managed properly, automakers have so far kept the identities of their battery suppliers a secret, not only in Korea but around the world.

As an EV owner for about three years, I’ve never had the privilege of knowing the details about the battery that’s in my car. Now, that seems both odd and unfair, considering that batteries are one of the most important and expensive parts of a vehicle. Shouldn’t consumers have the right to clear and transparent information before making a purchase, especially when it’s closely related to safety?

Once the new rules take effect (no date has been set and it could take months), Korean consumers should be able to take battery manufacturers into account when buying an electric vehicle. There’s also still a lack of clarity on how much detail the government will require automakers to disclose, and whether EV owners like me will be able to retrospectively find out what brand of battery is powering our cars.

The dramatic fire has shaken the Korean public at an unfortunate time when growth in electric vehicle sales – globally – is slowing. The broader negative attitudes toward electric vehicles are also undermining government efforts to introduce more environmentally friendly cars and bolster charging infrastructure across the country.

Before the incident, the country’s electric vehicle market was growing rapidly, accounting for more than 9% of new car registrations last year, according to data from the transport ministry. But after the July incident, most carmakers reported a drop in electric vehicle sales in August.

While the investigation is still ongoing and the cause of the Mercedes fire has not yet been determined, some automakers including Hyundai, General Motors and Porsche have taken the matter into their own hands by voluntarily disclosing their battery suppliers and offering free safety checks to electric vehicle owners.

The government has also pledged to strengthen parking safety measures and require more EV manufacturers and charging operators to have adequate insurance. Whether these measures will be enough to calm the anxiety surrounding EVs remains to be seen. As for me, I am happy to continue driving my EV.

And the flip side of risk is opportunity. If South Korea moves forward and eventually implements effective and comprehensive regulations, it could be a chance for the country to build a more resilient environment for electric vehicles in the future.