EV makers to disclose battery brand in South Korea as EV fires raise concerns

In response to safety concerns arising due to the recent damage caused by a vehicle that caught fire in an underground parking lot, South Korea intends to require electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers to reveal the brand of batteries used in their vehicles, according to a newspaper on Thursday.

The transport ministry planned to change the legislation so automakers would have to disclose battery suppliers, according to a story by the Chosun Ilbo that quoted an unidentified ministry official.

As per the report automakers in South Korea are presently required to reveal certain characteristics about their cars, such as their size and fuel economy, but they may only reveal restricted information about batteries, like their power capacity, without mentioning the manufacturers.

Currently, the Ministry of Transportation of South Korea has declined to respond to the report.

According to the reports, a Mercedes-Benz electric automobile that was equipped with batteries manufactured by Farasis Energy, a Chinese business, caught fire last week in the basement garage of an apartment building in Incheon, South Korea. 

According to Yonhap news agency, the fire took over eight hours to put out, destroyed over 140 automobiles, and sent 23 individuals to the hospital after they inhaled smoke.

In a statement, Mercedes-Benz Korea stated that it was taking the situation very seriously and that it intended to work with the authorities to identify the reason.

In a study released in February, the Seoul Metropolitan Fire & Disaster Headquarters stated that between 2013 and 2022, 1,399 fires in South Korean subterranean parking lots occurred, with 43.7% of those incidents being caused by automobiles. It said that 53% of automobile fires in underground garages were caused by electrical sources.