Second Mercedes-Benz EV Korea: EQC 400 Catches Fire Whilst Charging

A second Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle (EV) fire made headlines in South Korea, once again sparking concerns about EV safety. This time, the incident involved a Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 4Matic in the underground parking lot of an apartment complex in Mojong-dong, Asan, South Chungcheong Province, during the early hours of Nov 14.

This follows a major fire last Aug in Incheon, where a parked Mercedes-Benz EQE 350+ equipped with a Chinese made Parasys battery burst into flames, wreaking havoc in the parking lot. That fire lasted hours, damaging an additional 880 vehicles nearby and left extensive property damage, creating widespread "electric vehicle phobia" in the region.

This latest incident had also resulted in Mercedes-Benz EV prices to tank further. In fact, it has reached the point where even authorised dealers refused to buy back EQE models due to safety concerns.

Before we start pointing fingers, let’s instead call things as they are. Unlike the initial EQE fire, which was determined to be a battery-related incident caused by external cell damage based on reports released, initial investigations suggest that the EQC fire was not related to battery failure.

The EQC 400 4Matic involved in the Asan incident was equipped with LG Energy Solution batteries, as confirmed by Mercedes-Benz Korea based on a battery source sheet widely shared.

The fire began while the vehicle was charging, with flames concentrated on the front section underside where the front motor is housed rather than originating from the battery. Thanks to an automated fire alarm system and rapid emergency response, the fire was extinguished within two hours, preventing a thermal runaway and ensuring minimal damage to other vehicles and property.

This response contrasts sharply with the EQE fire in Incheon, where firefighters battled for hours to contain the blaze, which was fueled by the compromised battery.

The circumstances of the EQC fire bear similarities to a previous incident closer to home in Johor, Malaysia, involving a Mercedes-Benz EQB that also caught fire while charging. In both cases, the fires were swiftly extinguished, suggesting that the batteries were not compromised. This indicates that the effectiveness of the response was not due to firefighter skill level but rather the nature of the fire.

However, unlike the Korean Mercedes-Benz EV fire incidents where findings were publicised to make the public aware, the findings from the EQB fire in Johor was not publicised.

This begs the question, why Bomba and Mercedes-Benz Malaysia refuses to keep the general public and vehicle owners informed of these causes? Is it not a buyer's and tax payers right to be informed just like what Mercedes-Benz Korea and the Korean Fire Dept does? 

Source: MK.CO.KR