About 100 firefighters from across the country take part

Hands-on training covers high-voltage battery and airbag locations

Company provides EVs for training for second consecutive year

Firefighters from across South Korea examine a BMW iX3 and a MINI Countryman electric vehicle at the Electric Vehicle Safe Rescue Seminar for Firefighters held in Haeundae, Busan, learning about high-voltage battery layouts and safety precautions for cutting vehicle bodies. [BMW Group Korea]
Firefighters from across South Korea examine a BMW iX3 and a MINI Countryman electric vehicle at the Electric Vehicle Safe Rescue Seminar for Firefighters held in Haeundae, Busan, learning about high-voltage battery layouts and safety precautions for cutting vehicle bodies. [BMW Group Korea]

With cumulative electric vehicle registrations in South Korea surpassing 1 million, BMW Group Korea has stepped up support for firefighters who respond to EV accident scenes, providing actual electric vehicles for training so responders could locate high-voltage batteries and identify safe points for cutting vehicle bodies.

BMW Group Korea announced Tuesday that it had supplied training vehicles for the Electric Vehicle Safe Rescue Seminar for Firefighters, organized by the Korea Transportation Safety Authority's Automobile Safety Research Institute and the Busan Metropolitan Fire and Disaster Headquarters.

This marks the second consecutive year BMW Group Korea has provided vehicles for the event. This year, the company contributed the all-electric SUV The New BMW iX3 and the All-Electric MINI Countryman.

The seminar was held at the Podium Mall plaza in front of Signiel LCT in Haeundae, Busan, drawing about 100 firefighters from across the country.

Training focused on the internal structure of electric vehicles — information rescuers need in real accident situations. Participants examined both EVs firsthand, confirming the placement of high-voltage batteries and the location of airbag deployment components.

The session also covered what to watch out for when cutting a vehicle body to free trapped occupants. Unlike internal combustion engine vehicles, EVs house high-voltage batteries and power-related components throughout the chassis, making it essential for rescuers to understand each model's layout in advance.

The training was organized to strengthen emergency response capabilities as EV adoption continues to grow. Cumulative domestic EV registrations exceeded 1 million in the first half of this year, and that growth has increased demand for rescue and firefighting skills tailored to the specific characteristics of electric vehicles.

BMW Group Korea has been conducting safety education for firefighters on an ongoing basis. This year, the company also held an EV safety training session for Seoul-area firefighters at the BMW Driving Center on Yeongjongdo in Incheon.

The company is also expanding its after-sales service infrastructure. It currently operates 83 official service centers nationwide and employs about 480 EV-certified technicians. BMW Group Korea said it is continuing to grow its workforce to cover everything from routine maintenance to post-accident response, in step with the expansion of EV adoption.

Meanwhile, The New BMW iX3 used in the training is BMW's next-generation electric SUV, launched in South Korea in June. It is the first mass-production model to apply BMW's next-generation strategy "Neue Klasse" and can travel up to 611 kilometers on a single charge under domestic certification standards. Equipped with an 800-volt system, it can charge from 10 percent to 80 percent battery capacity in about 21 minutes.


kwater@heraldcorp.com