Firefighters extinguish a fire under an electric car parked on the ground floor of a parking tower in Geumsan-eup, Geumsan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, at 5 a.m. on August 6. (Image courtesy of Geumsan Fire Department, Chungnam)
SEOUL, Aug. 8 (Korea Bizwire) – As electric vehicles (EVs) gain popularity in South Korea, a new controversy is brewing over their access to parking facilities, particularly in residential and office buildings.
The debate, fueled by recent high-profile EV fires, has pit EV owners against building managers and non-EV residents, raising questions about safety, discrimination, and the future of urban transportation.
Kim, a 38-year-old EV owner in Busan, recently experienced this firsthand after being turned away from a mechanical parking facility at an officetel (a multi-purpose building with residential and commercial units) in the Seomyeon area.
The building’s policy, implemented due to fire safety concerns, prohibited EVs from using the parking structure.
This incident is not isolated. Following EV fires at an apartment complex in Incheon’s Cheongna district and a parking tower in Geumsan, a growing number of underground and tower-type parking facilities are restricting EV access.
The trend has sparked heated debates in apartment communities and online forums.
EV proponents argue that the restrictions are unfair and illogical. “Vehicles with internal combustion engines are actually more likely to ignite than EVs. Why are only electric vehicles being restricted?” one EV owner lamented on an online automotive forum. “It’s disheartening to be treated like potential arsonists.”
Others have pointed out that hybrid vehicles, which are also at a greater risk of fire and pose similar challenges in fire suppression, are not facing the same restrictions. “If we follow this logic, shouldn’t hybrid vehicles also be banned? Is that even feasible?” another commenter argued.
On the other hand, those in favor of the restrictions emphasize the difficulty of extinguishing EV fires and the potential for extensive damage.
“The focus should be on the fact that when an EV catches fire, it’s hard to put out and the damage is severe,” a supporter of the ban stated. “We don’t even have full information about the batteries. It’s only natural to restrict access to protect property.”
While statistics show that EVs are significantly less likely to catch on fire than internal combustion vehicles, some argue that this comparison is flawed due to the generally older age of non-electric vehicles on the road.
Experts caution against spreading excessive fear about EV fires and argue that instead of engaging in unproductive debates, efforts should be focused on improving EV fire response capabilities.
They point out that in the recent Cheongna apartment fire, the rapid spread was due to non-functioning sprinklers, highlighting the importance of maintaining and upgrading existing fire suppression systems.
Professor Moon Hak-hoon of Osan University’s Future Electric Vehicle Automotive Department believes that banning EVs from underground parking is neither realistic nor justifiable.
“Many apartment complexes don’t have above-ground parking options,” he explained. “The practical solution is to enhance fire suppression equipment to prevent EV fires from escalating into large-scale incidents.”
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
