Emergency meeting held in South Korea after massive EV fire destroys 140 cars

South Korean officials convened an emergency meeting on Monday to address mounting concerns over electric vehicle (EV) safety following a significant fire incident in an underground garage. The blaze, which erupted on August 1st, involved a Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle and resulted in extensive damage to an apartment block, heightening consumer anxiety.

The fire, which started spontaneously in the parked Mercedes-Benz EV beneath a residential building, raged for eight hours, destroying or damaging approximately 140 vehicles. The intensity of the blaze forced several residents to evacuate to shelters. The incident has intensified public scrutiny of EV safety, especially in a country where many residents live in apartments with underground parking facilities.

Leading the emergency meeting was the country’s Vice Environment Minister, with representatives from the transport and industry ministries and the national fire agency also in attendance. The government is expected to announce new regulations soon, potentially mandating car manufacturers to disclose the brands of batteries used in their EVs.

A transport ministry official stated, “The safety of our citizens is paramount, and we are exploring all measures to enhance transparency and safety in the EV sector.” On Tuesday, ministry officials will meet with automakers, including Hyundai Motor Group, Mercedes-Benz Korea, and Volkswagen Group Korea, to discuss the proposed disclosure requirements.

Public concern has been further fueled by images circulating in the media, showing dozens of charred vehicles reduced to metal frames after the fire. The fear is particularly acute in South Korea, where underground parking lots are common in residential buildings.

Adding to the alarm, a Kia EV6, equipped with batteries from South Korean manufacturer SK On, also caught fire in a parking lot earlier this month, according to fire authorities. Experts have noted that EV fires differ significantly from those involving internal combustion engine vehicles, often burning longer and being more challenging to extinguish due to a tendency to reignite.

Data from the Seoul Metropolitan Fire & Disaster Headquarters revealed that between 2013 and 2022, South Korea experienced 1,399 fires in underground parking lots, with 43.7% attributed to vehicles. Of these vehicle fires, 53% were linked to electrical sources.

In response to growing safety concerns, Hyundai Motor Co. recently identified the battery manufacturers used in its 13 EV models, including three models from its Genesis brand. Hyundai’s website now lists batteries from LG Energy Solution, SK On, and China’s CATL as suppliers.

However, experts like Moon Hak-hoon, a professor of automotive engineering at Osan University, caution that simply disclosing the make of an EV battery may not be sufficient to prevent fires. “Certifying the fire hazards of each battery brand would be a more effective measure,” he suggested.

Park Moon-woo, who authored a report on the response to EV fires in underground garages, added, “While disclosure could offer buyers more choice, there is currently no definitive data indicating which EV battery brands are more prone to fires.”

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