Mercedes-Benz Korea has released the names of electric car battery suppliers to respond to public outrage after one of its cars burst into flames in a parking lot earlier this month, AFP reported.
The August 1 fire damaged hundreds of cars and sparked national panic, and South Korea's parking lots imposed a wave of restrictions amid growing calls for transparency in battery supply chains.
South Korea is a major producer of batteries and electric vehicles, including Hyundai and Kia. Last year, electric vehicles made up 9.3% of new car purchases, more than in the US.
"Although the analysis is still ongoing, CCTV footage shows that this fire was caused by a battery," a spokesman for the Incheon Fire Department told AFP.
The EQE 350 that burst into flames had a battery from Chinese manufacturer Farasis Energy, Mercedes Korea revealed on its website.
Local media showed dramatic footage of the car igniting, sparking a fire that destroyed 40 cars in the parking lot. About 23 residents were hospitalized for smoke inhalation.
The incident has heightened concerns about the safety of electric vehicles, prompting some housing estates to ban EVs from underground parking lots and close charging stations. | BGNES
