Firefighters extinguish an electric vehicle fire during a drill at an apartment complex in Busan, in this file photo taken Aug. 27, 2024, following a recent series of similar incidents. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Sept. 6 (Korea Bizwire) – Carmakers and battery manufacturers in South Korea on Friday expressed their commitment to cooperate with a newly announced set of government measures aimed at preventing spontaneous fires in electric vehicles.
Under the plan announced earlier in the day, the government’s EV battery certification system that was scheduled to go into effect next February will launch early on a trial basis in October. Companies will also be required to disclose key information on the batteries, including their brand and main components.
The plan was announced to address a public EV fire scare that started last month after a spontaneous fire in a parked Mercedes-Benz electric model wiped out an apartment complex parking lot while damaging over 100 vehicles.
Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp. said in a statement that they will “actively cooperate with the government’s comprehensive safety measures for EVs.”
The companies said they plan to strengthen their EV safety inspection services, extend the battery diagnostic notification service for customers and expand updates for precise diagnostic functions.
Hyundai and Kia added that the EV safety inspection service, which has been in effect since last month, will be offered annually and regardless of the vehicle’s warranty period.
KG Mobility Corp. also said it will actively respond to the government measures.
As part of its efforts to prevent EV fires, the company announced that it has developed vehicle software compatible with the smart chargers and has begun compatibility testing.
The battery manufacturing industry is also closely monitoring the government’s follow-up measures. Industry officials have expressed their willingness to participate in the efforts to strengthen safety policies.
“Even if the government accelerates the implementation of the battery safety certification system, there shouldn’t be any major issues for existing battery manufacturers, as they have already obtained high-level certifications,” an industry official said.
The official added that the industry as a whole should pursue improvements in the battery management system as planned without any delays.
(Yonhap)
