Gov't, not EV battery makers, to inspect product safety
Officials from the police and Mercedes-Benz inspect the automaker's charred EQE electric vehicle in Incheon, Aug. 8. Yonhap
The government will comprehensively oversee the inspection of electric vehicle (EV) batteries by initiating a pilot project to certify their safety, responding to persistent public concerns regarding recurring EV fires, the land, infrastructure and transport ministry said, Tuesday.
Starting this month, the pilot project will commence with a group of five automakers and battery companies, including Hyundai Motor, Kia, and LG Energy Solution. The full implementation of the battery certification rule is set to take effect in February 2025.
The scheme was implemented in response to public concerns about EV fires after a Mercedes-Benz Korea EQE sedan caught fire in the underground parking lot of an apartment complex in Incheon in August, causing significant damage to the facility.
Under the project, participating firms are required to report their EV batteries to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for certification. The reported batteries and their battery management systems will then undergo safety testing.
If carmakers and battery firms fail to obtain certification due to insufficient safety measures, they will be required to address and rectify their shortcomings, according to the land ministry.
The regulator will collaborate with the Korea Transportation Safety Authority and various auto safety assessment organizations to assess whether the companies pass 12 test criteria, including areas such as overcharging, overheating, and thermal shock.
Firefighters conduct a drill extinguishing a potential electric vehicle fire near a dock in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Sept. 27. Yonhap
A complete overhaul of the self-certification system, which has been in place for over two decades, is underway to strengthen vehicle safety standards.
“The battery certification rule will serve as a key momentum to strengthen EV safety,” said Baek Won-kug, second vice minister of the land authority.
“The introduction of the pilot project will help the rule make a soft landing here, and this will enable the public to use EVs more safely.”
The participants of the project also pledged to collaborate with the government to address growing public concerns about EVs.
Hyundai Motor Group said it will also strengthen its research capabilities to develop technologies to ensure battery safety.
“Hyundai Motor and Kia are the first carmakers to decide to join the pilot program for EV safety,” said Kim Dong-wook, vice president of Hyundai Motor.
“We will continuously make efforts to relieve jitters caused by EV fires.”
Experts recommend that the government provide incentives for old EV owners to upgrade to newer models. In Korea, it is estimated that between 60,000 and 70,000 older EVs are still in use.
“Most EV fires are triggered by old EVs manufactured at the infancy of the EV industry,” said Kim Pil-soo, an automotive technology professor at Daelim University College.
"The technological gap between the latest EVs and those that are around 10 years old is extremely significant. Therefore, the government is urged to provide incentives to older EV owners to encourage them to upgrade to newer models."