Multiple vehicles are badly damaged after a fire triggered by a Mercedes-Benz electric sedan set an underground parking lot ablaze at an apartment complex in Incheon, Aug. 1. Yonhap CATL’s battery credibility also in question By Lee Min-hyung Massive fire damage resulting from a Mercedes-Benz EQE sedan which ignited in an underground parking lot of an apartment complex in Incheon last Thursday has heightened public concerns over the seemingly ever-increasing dangers posed by electric vehicles (EVs).
The vehicle was not being recharged at the time that it suddenly caught fire, quickly spreading to dozens of other parked vehicles which were also destroyed as a result. More than 100 residents also had to be evacuated from the complex due to the fire. This heightened existing fears from members of the public that they could fall victim to similar unexpected EV fires.
In response, a growing number of apartment complexes nationwide are moving to ban EVs from their underground parking lots. According to data from the Science and Technology Policy Institute, the number of EV fires has been on the steep rise over the past few years, as more people purchase all-electric cars over internal combustion engine vehicles. While only two official EV fires were reported in 2018, the figure soared to 72 as of 2023.
The number of registered EVs here also skyrocketed during the same period from around 55,000 to 543,900. The latest accident has also ended up tainting the corporate image of the G.