Mercedes-Benz dealers in South Korea have reportedly been trained by the company’s local unit to inform customers that their electric vehicles (EVs) use battery cells exclusively from CATL, a Chinese manufacturer.
The focus on EV battery suppliers gained attention after a fire involving a Mercedes-Benz EV destroyed an underground parking garage in Incheon, west of Seoul, in August, damaging over 100 vehicles. The battery cells in the vehicle were found to be from Farasis Energy, another Chinese firm ranked around 10th globally.
Training materials for dealers included guidance on addressing customer concerns about Chinese-made batteries. Sample responses emphasized CATL as the sole supplier, stating, “CATL is a Chinese company, but it has the most advanced technology in the global battery industry.” It also noted that CATL only supplies battery cells, while final battery production takes place at Mercedes-Benz headquarters in Germany.
The materials consistently referred to CATL as the supplier, omitting Farasis Energy. After the fire, Mercedes-Benz confirmed that certain trims of its EQE and EQS models used Farasis Energy batteries.
Mercedes-Benz Korea is under investigation by the Fair Trade Commission for allegedly providing misleading information to customers about EV battery suppliers.
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