Fully Charged? Seoul Won't Let You Park Your Electric Car Underground

South Korea's most populous city is set to introduce new rules for electric vehicle (EV) owners following high-profile fires in recent weeks.

Korea JoongAng Daily reports that the Seoul Metropolitan Government has advised electric vehicle drivers not to use underground parking lots if their batteries are charged above 90 percent.

The document also says there will be a pilot to limit the number of fast-charging stations to 80 percent if they are in public places, and there are reportedly plans to extend the practice to private operators.

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The introduction of the rules, which are due to come into force by the end of September, has raised concerns among electric vehicle owners in the region, as the Mercedes-Benz EQE, which caught fire earlier this month was not charging or was fully charged when the fire broke out.

According to preliminary data, another 70 cars were damaged as a result of the fire. Korea JoongAng Daily This figure has since been adjusted to 880 nearby vehicles.

The Mercedes-Benz fire was soon followed by another electric vehicle fire, this time a Kia EV6, again in an underground car park, although this time the car was plugged into a charger.

Although the new rules have not yet been implemented or enforced, Professor Yoon Won-sub, an energy expert at Sungkyunkwan University and head of the battery research center, says there is no connection between an electric vehicle's charge level and the severity of its fire.

“Overcharging is not a decisive factor in a fire,” Mr. Yun said. Korea JoongAng Daily.

“Electric vehicles are designed to never reach a full charge, even if the dashboard says 100 percent. It is an unproven argument that batteries carry a higher risk of fire when fully charged.

“It is a bit like a witch hunt when electric car owners with cars charged to 90 percent are banned from underground parking. Suitable countermeasures need to be developed after careful discussion among experts.”

A number of automakers, including Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, have provided the South Korean government with list of relevant battery suppliers in an attempt to ease concerns among electric vehicle owners about fires.

Australian company EV FireSafe, which collects data on vehicle fires around the world, found that between 2010 and the end of June 2024, there were 511 incidents of thermal runaway in electric vehicle (EV) and plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) batteries worldwide, not including the latest fires in South Korea.

MORE: South Korea asks automakers to name and shame battery suppliers after EV fires
MORE: Fire in Mercedes-Benz electric car leaves devastating trail in car park



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