[EV Charging Report] The 'Apartment Charging War' Feared More Than Interfloor Noise and Parking Shortages

(Part 2) World's No.1 in Infrastructure Construction?…The Real Reason Korean Electric Vehicle Owners Are Uncomfortable
Statistically, 2 Electric Vehicles per 1 Charger in Korea
High Density in Metropolitan Area and Intensified Apartment Charging Competition
New Seeds of Disputes Among Residents
Significant Regional Disparities in Fast and Slow Charging Stations
Charging Prices Vary Widely by Power Providers

Editor's NoteAs the cumulative number of electric vehicles (EVs) in South Korea surpasses 500,000, EV charging has emerged as another social issue. Although South Korea is recognized globally for its objective indicators such as EV distribution and charging infrastructure development, there is a growing number of EV owners complaining about charging-related stress. This article examines the causes of problems in the domestic EV charging market, including apartment-centered living arrangements, initial government-led infrastructure development, and the proliferation of charging service providers due to subsidy support, and summarizes the real issues experienced by actual users through case studies.

# Mr. A, living in Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi-do, was fined last September for violating the Eco-friendly Vehicle Act. Knowing that parking in the same spot for more than 14 hours while charging an EV (slow charging standard) is prohibited, he had been careful several times, but one day someone reported him as if they had been waiting for a violation. A few days earlier, in the early morning, after finishing charging, Mr. A tried to move his car but remembered that the parking lot was full and he had parked in the same spot again. To prove that he had moved the car once and then parked it again, he submitted evidence photos enlarged hundreds of times. Although the fine was canceled, the thought of ongoing conflicts with neighbors gives him a headache.

# Mr. B, living in Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, is currently considering selling his EV again due to charging stress. The apartment complex where Mr. B lives has over 2,000 households but only five chargers. Having to arrange turns through the residents' KakaoTalk group chat every time for charging is stressful. It is also awkward to call late at night to ask a car owner to move their vehicle after charging is complete. Disliking conflicts among residents, Mr. B has developed a habit of charging briefly whenever he sees charging stations while out. However, each charging station has different payment methods and fluctuating charging fees. Charging outside, not at 'home meal (charging station in home parking lot),' has become another source of stress for Mr. B.

Charging an electric vehicle
[Photo by Woo Su-yeon]

EV owners unanimously agree that having a comfortable 'home meal' or 'company meal (charging station in company parking lot)' is essential when purchasing an EV. This means that if one cannot charge without issues at a specific charging station of their own, owning an EV can become a daily stress. There is even a joke that if your MBTI personality type leans toward 'J (Judging - preferring systematic planning),' you should not buy an EV.

As the cumulative number of EVs in South Korea exceeds 500,000, disputes related to EV charging are also increasing. According to Statistics Korea, as of 2022, 66% of households in South Korea live in multi-family housing (including apartments, row houses, multi-unit houses, officetels). In countries with a high proportion of detached houses, installing a single slow charger in a private home garage suffices. However, in South Korea, where devices must be shared in limited spaces, EV charging issues have become another seed of social conflict following noise between floors and parking problems.

According to data received by Assemblyman Kwon Myung-ho of the People Power Party from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on the 2nd, the number of cases of EV charging obstruction detected by city, county, and district offices nationwide has increased tenfold in the past two years. The number of cases was 9,877 until 2021, not exceeding 10,000, but surged to 81,000 in 2022, and exceeded 100,000 by July this year. The related fines also increased 18 times compared to 2021, reaching 3.7 billion KRW last year.

As of July this year, there are approximately 243,000 EV chargers installed nationwide. This means that on average, two EVs share one charger in South Korea. By numbers alone, South Korea's EV infrastructure development is fast. According to last year's International Energy Agency (IEA) survey, the global average number of EVs per charger was 10, Europe 13, and China 8. Compared to these countries with rapid EV adoption, South Korea's charging infrastructure is well developed.

However, EV owners operating vehicles in daily life complain of inconveniences. Experts say there are problems with the initial infrastructure development projects led by the government. They point out that focusing solely on increasing the number of chargers without considering accessibility, convenience, and population density has caused side effects. As a result, while apartment-dense areas in the metropolitan area suffer from charger shortages, chargers installed in public institutions in sparsely populated rural areas remain empty.

Another user complaint is the regional difference in the ratio of fast chargers to slow chargers. According to Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy data, as of July this year, only 11% of chargers nationwide are fast chargers. The number of EVs sharing one fast charger varies by region, with differences of more than threefold. For example, in Incheon, one fast charger is shared by 31.7 EVs, whereas in Gangwon-do, one fast charger serves 10.2 EVs.

Another issue is the lack of unified payment methods. This is a result of the proliferation of charging service providers due to subsidy support that expanded the market. EV owners must download a new payment application each time they visit a new charging station. To address this, the Ministry of Environment started providing the 'EV Link Service' in September, allowing most chargers nationwide to be used with a single card.

Not only payment methods but also charging fees vary greatly by region. Each power generation company, such as Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), Western Power, and Eastern Power, has different supply costs, increasing regional disparities. Consumers acknowledge some price differences depending on the power generation and charging service providers but find it unacceptable that prices differ by more than two to three times.

Experts and industry insiders advise increasing the installation of fast chargers mainly in public places while expanding slow charging facilities with lower fees in residential areas like apartments. Widely utilizing mobile charging methods that use existing 220V wall outlets in parking lots is also suggested. Additionally, separate budgets and personnel allocation are needed for managing broken chargers. There is also a call for the establishment of a charging service providers association to unify the fragmented EV charging businesses and implement standardized policies.

Professor Kim Pil-soo of the Department of Future Automotive at Daelim University said, "South Korea has a high apartment residency rate, so chargers must mainly be installed in underground parking lots, which are the worst conditions for fire and wiring. Therefore, if a successful model is created under these stringent conditions in Korea, it can be applied anywhere in the world."