South Korea Limits EV Charging After Massive Fire

Seoul is set to implement new rules by late September that will ban electric vehicles (EVs) with batteries charged over 90% from entering underground parking garages.

The regulations come in response to a recent incident where a Mercedes-Benz EQE ignited in a parking garage, causing extensive damage to 880 nearby vehicles and leaving over 1,600 households without electricity and water for a week.

The new rules don’t stop at limiting access to underground garages; they will also enforce a charging cap of 80% on rapid chargers throughout South Korea’s capital city. Additionally, there are plans to extend this cap to privately operated chargers, with the goal of preventing similar incidents in the future.

However, the decision has sparked controversy among EV experts and owners alike. Critics argue that there is no solid evidence to suggest that fully charged batteries pose a greater fire risk. Professor Yoon Won-sub, a battery expert from Sungkyunkwan University and Samsung SDI, dismissed the notion that excessive charging is a significant factor in EV fires. He pointed out that EVs are designed not to reach a true 100% charge, even when the dashboard indicates they are fully charged. He compared the new regulations to a “witch hunt,” arguing that the government should consult with experts before enforcing such drastic measures.

EV owners are also voicing their frustrations. By capping charging levels, the government is effectively reducing the range of all EVs, making them less practical for daily use. Many are questioning the rationale behind the 80% and 90% thresholds, arguing that such decisions should be based on solid data, not fear.

One frustrated Tesla owner took to social media, asking, “If gasoline-powered cars catch fire, will the government limit fueling to 90 percent? I can’t understand how the government came up with such numbers like 80 and 90 percent; based on what proven data? If it’s that dangerous, why has the government encouraged people to buy EVs in the first place?”

This article was co-written using AI and was then heavily edited and optimized by our editorial team.

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