The fire risk of electric vehicles is one of the main factors that discourages many consumers from purchasing an EV. According to a report by SBS News, 40 out of 46 EV fires in parking lots over the past four years have been caused by charging lines left plugged in after charging is complete. This is causing great concern for EV users.
Analyze the cause of a fire
To analyze the cause of the fire, the Ministry of Environment formed a special committee to conduct a fact-finding mission. We found that most of the fires occurred within the first hour or two of charging, which tended to overlap with a loss of communication with the charger. Experts have pointed to the possibility of overcharging of certain cells during the distribution of current between battery cells after charging is complete.
How governments are responding
In response, the Ministry of Environment has put in place measures focused on preventing overcharging of slow chargers to prevent fires. Unlike fast chargers, slow chargers do not have battery health monitoring capabilities, and we saw a need to improve this. Therefore, the Ministry of Environment plans to expand the distribution of fast chargers with additional communication equipment that can transmit real-time electric vehicle battery information to the charger, and has decided to invest 80 billion won to do so.
User safety tips
Experts are recommending that users adjust their charging settings to 95% or less to increase the safety of already installed slow chargers. This is expected to help reduce the risk of fire due to overcharged batteries.
This information can serve as important safety guidance for EV users and prospective buyers, and requires continued attention and action to ensure the safe use of EVs.
Original link: SBS News
