The authorities in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, have recently implemented regulations regarding the charging and parking of electric vehicles. This decision comes in response to a horrifying incident that occurred at the end of July in an underground parking lot of a large residential complex in Seoul. The incident involved an electric car, a Mercedes-Benz EQE, which inexplicably caught fire and burned down along with 140 other vehicles. In total, around 880 vehicles were damaged, 23 people were injured and hospitalized, and over 700 residents had to be evacuated from the complex. As a result, 1600 households were left without water and electricity for a week.
The severity of the situation prompted the authorities to take action and introduce new regulations. Moving forward, vehicles with battery levels exceeding 90% will be prohibited from entering underground parking lots, and city charging stations will only be allowed to charge electric vehicle batteries up to 80%. These regulations are set to take effect in September, with discussions underway to potentially extend similar restrictions to private charging terminals.
However, not everyone is in agreement with these new regulations. Professor Yun Won, the head of a research center for battery technologies at Sungkyunkwan University and Samsung SDI, has voiced his opposition. He believes that the charging process is not the primary factor contributing to battery fires in electric vehicles. He also pointed out that modern electric cars are designed to prevent charging the battery to 100% capacity, as the effective capacity is lower than the maximum. Professor Yun criticized the new restrictions as a witch hunt.
Over the past three years, South Korea has recorded 139 cases of electric vehicle fires, with 68 occurring while driving, 36 while parked, and 26 during charging. Interestingly, the Mercedes-Benz EQE involved in the recent incident was not connected to a charging station at the time of the fire.
Unsurprisingly, Korean electric vehicle owners are unhappy with the new restrictions. Some have suggested imposing a similar limit on fuel cars, restricting them to refueling up to 90%. Others question how the government can promote the adoption of electric vehicles while simultaneously deeming them so dangerous.
In conclusion, the recent incident in Seoul has led to stricter regulations on the charging and parking of electric vehicles. While these measures aim to enhance safety, they have sparked debate and criticism from some experts and electric vehicle owners. As the authorities continue to address the challenges of electric vehicle safety, it remains to be seen how these regulations will impact the adoption and use of electric vehicles in South Korea.