South Korean Officials Consider New EV Safety Rules After Major Blaze

South Korean officials convened on Monday to address electric vehicle (EV) safety following a devastating fire that severely damaged an apartment block. The fire, which broke out on August 1 in an underground garage, was linked to a Mercedes-Benz EV and took eight hours to extinguish. The blaze destroyed or damaged approximately 140 cars and displaced several residents, who were forced to seek temporary shelter.
The meeting, led by the vice environment minister and attended by representatives from the transport and industry ministries as well as the national fire agency, aimed to discuss potential new regulations. One key proposal under consideration is requiring car manufacturers to disclose the brands of batteries used in their EVs. This proposal comes amid rising consumer concerns and heightened scrutiny of EV safety.
On Tuesday, transport ministry officials are scheduled to meet with major automakers, including Hyundai Motor Group, Mercedes-Benz Korea, and Volkswagen Group Korea, to discuss the battery disclosure proposal. The ministry has yet to comment on the reports, and the automakers have not responded to requests for comment.
Recent media images of the fire, which showed dozens of burned-out cars, have intensified consumer fears about EVs, particularly in South Korea, where many people live in apartment buildings with underground parking facilities. Concerns were further heightened by a separate incident earlier this month involving a Kia EV6, which caught fire in a parking lot and was equipped with batteries from South Korean battery maker SK On.
Experts note that EV fires present unique challenges, often burning longer and being more difficult to extinguish compared to traditional internal combustion engine vehicles. The Seoul Metropolitan Fire & Disaster Headquarters reported in February that out of 1,399 fires in underground parking lots between 2013 and 2022, 43.7% were attributed to vehicles, with electrical sources accounting for 53% of these fires.
The Chosun Ilbo newspaper recently reported that South Korea is planning to mandate the disclosure of EV battery brands. Currently, while automakers must provide information on aspects like fuel efficiency, details on battery manufacturers are not required.
In response to consumer inquiries, Hyundai Motor Co has started listing the manufacturers of batteries used in its 13 EV models, including three from its Genesis brand, on its website.