Mercedes-Benz Korea Confirms Electric Vehicle Battery in Fire Incident Originated from Chinese Manufacturer

August 15, 2024 TruthUSA

Mercedes-Benz Korea disclosed its electric vehicle (EV) battery supplier on Aug. 13 after one of its cars exploded in a parking lot earlier this month.

On Aug. 1, in the underground parking lot of an apartment building in Incheon, west of Seoul, a Mercedes-Benz electric car burst into flames and caused a large fire that damaged or destroyed 140 cars and damaged the building. Some residents were forced to move to shelters.

Mercedes Korea said on Aug. 13 that the model EQE 350 that exploded into flames had a battery from Chinese manufacturer Farasis Energy.

In 2021, China’s BAIC Group recalled about 32,000 electric vehicles, and one of the reasons was that Farasis Energy’s batteries posed a fire risk.

Chinese EVs catching fire after accidents or as a result of spontaneous combustion have often been reported by Chinese media or posted on social media, igniting safety and quality concerns.

Taiwanese economist Huang Shicong told The Epoch Times on Aug. 15 that although China produces the most EV batteries in the world, the overall quality is problematic. “Explosion or fire often occurs because of poor quality,” he said.

When the lithium-ion batteries used in EVs catch fire, they can burn at temperatures much higher than in a conventional gasoline-powered vehicle and are often harder to put out. This is the result of the battery’s thermal runaway effect, which is a chain reaction within battery cells.

Chu Yueh-chung, an Assistant Professor of Finance at Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, told The Epoch Times that most car makers around the world, including Tesla, use Chinese batteries. “However, there are many EV battery manufacturers in China, and their quality varies significantly.”

Officials from police, fire, National Forensic Service and Mercedes-Benz conduct a second joint forensic examination of an electric car that caught fire in the underground parking lot of an apartment complex on Aug. 1 in Incheon, South Korea on Aug. 8, 2024. (Yonhap via Reuters)

To ease public anxiety caused by the car fire, South Korea announced on Aug. 13 it will ask automakers to voluntarily disclose battery information for EVs and will release comprehensive electric vehicle safety measures early next month.

Last year, the European Union passed a regulation mandating a “battery passport” for EVs that details manufacturers and the origin of materials. It will take effect in 2027.

Chu said that automakers should also take responsibility for quality control and their supply chains.

“This can only be done by the car manufacturers individually. For the sake of their own reputation and brand, they have to do the test themselves. The governments have no way to target specific quality issues,” he said.

Luo Ya and Reuters contributed to this report.

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