South Korea Holds Emergency Meeting Following Massive EV Fire That Forces Residents to Shelters

By Thea Felicity

Aug 12 2024, 09:27 AM EDT

This picture taken on September 30, 2021 shows Hyundai Motor luxury brand Genesis' new all-electric vehicle, GV60, during its showcase event in Seoul. JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images

South Korean officials convened an emergency meeting on August 12 to address growing safety concerns surrounding electric vehicles (EVs), according to Reuters. This urgent gathering comes in response to a devastating fire that broke out on August 1 in an underground parking garage in Incheon, severely damaging or destroying around 140 vehicles and displacing residents.

The meeting, led by the vice environment minister, was attended by representatives from the transport and industry ministries, the national fire agency, and various automakers.

South Korea EV Fire

The fire, which involved a Mercedes-Benz EV, took eight hours to extinguish and has sparked widespread anxiety among consumers. The incident has also pointed up the unique challenges posed by EV fires, which often burn longer and are more difficult to control compared to traditional combustion engine fires.

Korea Times shared that images of the charred cars and the extensive damage have fueled public concerns, particularly as many South Koreans live in apartment buildings with parking facilities located below their homes.

In light of the recent events, the South Korean government is considering implementing new regulations that would require automakers to disclose the brands of batteries used in their EVs. This proposal is expected to be discussed in upcoming talks between the transport ministry and major car manufacturers, including Hyundai Motor Group, Mercedes-Benz Korea, and Volkswagen Group Korea.

Current regulations only require limited information about vehicle batteries, but do not mandate the disclosure of the manufacturers.

Experts in automotive safety have weighed in on the potential impact of the proposed regulations. While some argue that disclosing battery brands might increase consumer choice, others believe that it would not necessarily prevent fires.

Moon Hak-hoon, a professor of automotive engineering, suggests that certification of fire hazards for different battery brands might be a more effective measure.