The Korea Consumer Agency headquarters. [Korea Consumer Agency]
The Korea Consumer Agency headquarters. [Korea Consumer Agency]

The Korea Consumer Agency's Consumer Dispute Mediation Committee said Thursday it has decided to open group dispute mediation proceedings against Mercedes-Benz Korea over allegations the automaker provided false battery information to buyers.

Mercedes-Benz Korea told customers that its imported EQE electric vehicles contained battery cells made by CATL, the world's top battery manufacturer, when the vehicles were in fact equipped with cells made by Farasis Energy. The misrepresentation covered EQE models officially imported and sold between June 2023 and August 2024.

About 3,000 vehicles fitted with Farasis batteries were sold during that period, with total sales reaching 280 billion won ($180 million). The Korea Fair Trade Commission responded by imposing a fine of 11.239 billion won on Mercedes-Benz Korea in March.

The committee determined that the case met the threshold for group mediation proceedings, finding that more than 50 consumers had suffered harm and that the key factual and legal issues were in effect identical across claims.

The committee plans to post notice of the decision for at least 14 days on the Korea Consumer Agency's website and in daily newspapers, during which additional consumers may apply to join the proceedings. The mediation period runs up to 30 days from the close of the public notice, with a maximum extension of 90 days.


spa@heraldcorp.com