| | SEPTEMBER 20248IN FOCUSM ercedes-Benz Korea announced that it plans to distribute charging vouchers worth 300,000 won to owners of its electric vehicles, to address growing safety concerns and maintain customer loyalty.Mathias Vaitl, president of Mercedes-Benz Korea, communicated this decision in an email titled `A Message of Gratitude to Our Electric Vehicle Customers'.Vaitl stated, "We are providing these vouchers as a sincere expression of gratitude for our customers' unwavering trust and support for our brand and electric vehicles". He added that further details and additional information would be sent to customers via text. Mercedes-Benz Korea has been selling electric vehicles since 2019, with estimated sales reaching between 19,500 and 20,000 units. If vouchers are distributed to all domestic Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle owners, the total cost could be approximately 6 billion won. This initiative is widely interpreted as a response to the recent electric vehicle fire incident in an underground parking lot in Incheon on August , which sparked safety concerns and negative public sentiment towards the brand.In addition to the voucher program, Vaitl outlined several other measures the company is implementing. These include a 24/7 dedicated hotline for Electric Vehicle Care and free vehicle pickup and delivery for the first special inspection appointment.The company also going to announce an on-site service with specialized personnel for electric vehicle owners. Also, Mercedes-Benz Korea has expanded its free inspection coverage for all electric vehicle models, including in-depth checks of high-voltage battery systems. The company also promised to donate 4.5 billion won to the affected residents on humanitarian grounds. These measures come on the heels of Mercedes-Benz Korea's earlier statement that it would provide up to 126 new E-Class sedans for up to one year, free of charge, to residents affected by the Incheon electric vehicle fire. MERCEDES-BENZ KOREA TO DISTRIBUTE CHARGING VOUCHERS TO EV OWNERS AMID SAFETY CONCERNS
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