South Korea to Introduce Dedicated EV Inspection Standards as Electric Vehicle Market Scales Past On

SEOUL — South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) announced on August 19 that it will publish a proposed amendment to the enforcement rules of the Motor Vehicle Management Act for public consultation from August 20 through September 30, with the aim of introducing dedicated inspection standards for electric and other eco-friendly vehicles. The amendment separates inspection criteria for electrified vehicles from those applied to internal combustion engine cars. ICE vehicles are assessed under 24 items covering the engine, fuel system and driving/braking systems, while eco-friendly vehicles will be assessed under 21 items focused on high-voltage electrical systems and driving/braking performance. Items specific to combustion engines — fuel tanks, exhaust systems — are excluded from EV inspections. The ministry is also advancing the deadline for automakers to submit battery diagnostic data to the Korea Transportation Safety Authority. Under the current rule, manufacturers must provide data within six months of a new model's first sale; the amendment mandates submission at least 10 days before sales begin. This is intended to prevent the inspection disruptions that have occurred when an automaker exited the market before submitting data for models already on the road. The data automakers must supply — free of charge — for high-voltage battery inspection includes encryption keys needed to build compatible inspection equipment, along with maximum and minimum cell voltages, state of health (SOH) and state of charge (SOC) readings. The amendment also introduces a new fail criterion: any detection of a detached wheel nut or bolt in the driving-system category will result in an automatic failure. Failed vehicles must undergo a recheck within 10 days of repair, or face fines and suspension orders. "The amendment is expected to make eco-friendly vehicle inspections more thorough and allow the public to drive with greater peace of mind," said Bae So-myung, head of MOLIT's vehicle operation and insurance division.