Mercedes-Benz fire sparks EV safety overhaul in South Korea

A dramatic fire that left many South Koreans panicking about the reliability of electric vehicles has prompted the country to take unprecedented steps to allay public fears about battery safety.

Four months ago, an unplugged Mercedes-Benz electric sedan caught fire and explodeddestroying an underground parking lot in Incheon, west of Seoul. The fire left more than 200 families homeless for weeks and took firefighters more than eight hours to put out.

The incident quickly altered public perception of battery-powered cars, with most media coverage and social media posts focused on the fire risk of electric vehicles and South KoreaIt’s the lack of safety rules. Discussions between automakers and lawmakers followed, leading the government to announce an overhaul of electric vehicle policies in early September.

The new set of regulations required automakers to disclose the brands of their batteries, expanding the scope of safety inspections for existing electric vehicles and preventing vehicles from being fully charged.

Charging a Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle. South Korea introduced third-party safety testing following the fire earlier this year. Photo: Felix Wong

The government has also directly intervened to ensure battery safety through a state-run certification system. The pilot project has been running since mid-October and brings together five companies, including automakers Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp. as well as cell manufacturer LG Energy Solution Ltd.

The project aims to improve the safety of electric vehicles by requiring the government to review and certify the safety of electric vehicle batteries before installation. Before this initiative, electric vehicles were sold in South Korea without any third-party safety testing. Under the new system, public agencies like the Korea Automotive Testing and Research Institute will put batteries through their paces before installation, ensuring they meet government-backed safety certification standards .