[Homo Muvens] "Electric Vehicle Maintenance Infrastructure Established 5 Years Ahead... Fire Authorities Also Received Assistance"

Sanghwan Jeong, Director of Technical Service and Warranty at BMW Korea
BMW Expands Maintenance Infrastructure Ahead of Electric Vehicle Adoption Increase

Homo Movens means a moving (movens) human. It tells the story of those who handle vehicles.

Jungsang Hwan, Director of BMW Korea, is explaining the features of the recently released electric vehicle i4.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] When BMW first launched the i3 in 2013, a 'car running solely on electricity' was an unfamiliar concept. Although the idea of using battery electricity to power a motor had been realized a few times, it rarely led to mass production.

While many other automakers and customers were indifferent, BMW introduced the i3 to the domestic market the following year without hesitation. Launching a new internal combustion engine vehicle in a new market is challenging enough, but selling a car that had never existed before in a relatively small market like Korea was even more so. Considering the various certifications and the responsibility for maintenance and management after sales, it was not immediately a profitable business.

Nearly ten years later, as interest in electric vehicles has grown, the situation has changed. Especially, preparing maintenance infrastructure early on, which plays a decisive role in gauging the reputation of imported brands, has become a competitive advantage that other brands find hard to catch up with. Jeong Sang-hwan, director at BMW Group Korea who trains technical and maintenance personnel and is in charge of warranty and customer support, said, "Compared to other domestic and foreign brands, we prepared specialized maintenance personnel for electrified vehicles at least five years earlier. We have 172 certified high-voltage technicians (HVTs) alone."

BMW's first pure electric vehicle, the i3. It was first unveiled in the global market in 2013 and launched domestically the following year.

In the past, cars were closer to complex mechanical devices, but now they have become tools intertwined with large chemical substances and electronic devices. Not only has the way of maintenance changed, but the response methods in case of accidents have inevitably changed as well.

It is said that Korea’s fire authorities received assistance from BMW when preparing precautions and training manuals for electric vehicle accidents. Director Jeong said, "Electric vehicles themselves are safe, but if an accident occurs or during maintenance work, if sufficient preliminary measures are not taken, there is a risk of electric shock and other accidents." He added, "We have consulted several times with the Fire Agency since 2016 using manuals from the German headquarters."

For imported car brands, roles are divided among the importer who brings the cars from the headquarters or factory, and the dealer company that handles sales and after-sales service. BMW Korea is the importer, and companies like Kolon Motors are dealers. Usually, dealers manage service centers and maintenance sites, but BMW actively participates directly in training maintenance personnel and supporting infrastructure. Director Jeong said, "Until 2018, even though only 1 to 2 electric vehicles were serviced daily, we prepared certifications and refined standards and manuals. We were criticized for investing despite the uncertain future, but now it has become a great asset."

BMW is considered a brand that has devoted itself to localization not only in the automotive industry but also compared to other sectors. In the automotive industry, BMW Korea is sometimes said to "act as if they are a Korean company." They have built a driving center where no Korean maker has one, established foundations for social contribution activities, and invested generously in various infrastructures such as logistics and maintenance.

In the maintenance field, they have established 34 service centers capable of servicing high-voltage batteries and related systems, as well as 7 centers that can inspect all electrified models including carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) bodies. Director Jeong said, "We plan to expand dedicated work bays for electrified models in each center extensively. At the parts logistics center, we have secured a dedicated area for electric vehicle parts, capable of storing over 1,000 batteries simultaneously, establishing a parts supply system for electrified models."

He anticipated that his experience mainly in IT and consulting fields would be helpful amid the recent major transformation in the automotive industry. He said, "Even conservative automakers in the online and digital domains are enabling vehicles to connect to networks in real time according to connectivity and contactless strategies. It is possible to collect and analyze vehicle status online and use data intelligence technology to proactively identify the services the vehicle needs."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.