The Seoul metropolitan government announced on Aug 9 new measures to prevent fires caused by overcharging electric vehicles, including banning EVs with over 90 per cent battery levels from entering underground parking in residential buildings.
The municipal government explained that electric vehicle fires can result from various factors, including external impacts and battery defects, with excessive charging also recognised as a significant cause.
The policy comes a week after an incident in Incheon where a Mercedes-Benz EV caught fire in an underground carpark, destroying 140 vehicles and damaging the apartment building’s systems. The accident on Aug 1 sparked widespread fear of EVs as fire hazards, prompting some apartment managers to ban them from underground parking entirely.
