Disclose battery information amid EV fire woes: South Korea

Seoul, Aug 8
The government is considering requiring electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers to disclose information on car batteries amid an EV scare following a massive fire caused by a Mercedes-Benz vehicle last week, according to sources on Thursday.

According to the sources, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is reviewing the measures for car manufacturers to include EV battery manufacturer details in vehicle specifications, reports Yonhap news agency.

Currently, EV manufacturers are required to provide information on vehicle size, weight, maximum output, energy efficiency and battery capacity. However, details such as the battery manufacturer or product name are not mandatory.

As a result, consumers who wish to verify battery information must often rely on media reports or contact the manufacturer directly. Some companies do not fully disclose battery information even when approached by consumers.

The ministry plans to carefully review the matter, considering the various complexities involved in disclosing battery information.

EV manufacturers often do not disclose battery supplier details, citing competitive and trade secret concerns. Some watchers note that information disclosure measures could lead to unintended trade issues.

Meanwhile, recent EV fire incidents involving Mercedes-Benz and Kia models could not have come at a worse time for the local automotive industry.

The latest scare surrounding electric cars started last Thursday, when a Mercedes-Benz EQE vehicle caught fire in an underground parking garage inside an apartment complex in Incheon, 27 kms west of Seoul.

The fire gutted the facility, completely ravaging around 40 nearby vehicles and partly damaging some 100 additional cars. Over 800 residents were staying in temporary shelters due to a disruption in the water and power supply.

Another fire incident was reported involving a EV6 model by South Korean automaker Kia in Geumsan county, South Chungcheong Province.

As EVs have become more and more common, so has the number of fire cases. In 2018, there were three reported EV fire cases. Last year, the tally jumped to 72.