[Knukes]

I've just spotted this press release about a new charging service that Kia is launching in Europe and coming to the UK before the end of the year.

It is called Kia Charge and will require use of an RFID card or app and is using Digital Charging Solutions that was founded by BMW and Daimler.

Kia launches pan-European public charging service

 

[Todor]

Looks interesting, but it will all depend on the tariffs and available chargers.

And unless it is integrated in the car, it's no different from all the other apps/cards.

 

[Knukes]

If we get the same service as the Audi e-tron, this actually looks like it might be quite good with quite a few major charging networks on it including PodPoint, IONITY, InstaVolt, Engenie and more

https://digitalchargingsolutions.co...h_EN.pdf/b619a2e6-573a-12ae-a329-413788543482

@Todor - I agree that the tariffs have to be right, but this potentially makes it a lot easier and hopefully a bit cheaper too

 

[Todor]

That is a little better, but I'm a pessimist by nature, so let's wait and see

 

[DragonQ]

Yay, yet another RFID card and/or app everyone needs! Seriously, just accept bloody debit/credit cards. If you really want people to sign up to an account for data mining, just tie people's accounts to debit/credit cards and offer a discount when those cards are used!

 

[Badger]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Badger]

Few people will use the service unless the price is lower. It's inconvenient having multiple apps/RFID tags, but £ is what will get people to adopt.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Todor]

Few people will use the service unless the price is lower. It's inconvenient having multiple apps/RFID tags, but £ is what will get people to adopt.

I agree, but how about if they can integrate it in the navigation!!! It will be a winner, and the small inconvenience of RFID will not be show-stopper. But we can only hope...

 

[Knukes]

I agree, but how about if they can integrate it in the navigation!!! It will be a winner, and the small inconvenience of RFID will not be show-stopper. But we can only hope...

It does say in the press release that route planning of chargers will be integrated via the infotainment system, although it hints that this will be via the Apple and Android apps.
I guess we'll have to wait to see how good it is when it is made live, but I'm encouraged that it integrates quite a few charging networks.

 

[Badger]

If it just recognised the car and no need for an app or RFID that would be a great step forward.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Xinix]

I just signed up and will get the card by mail. Let's see what this is all about....

 

[Badger]

I just signed up and will get the card by mail. Let's see what this is all about....

Where do you sign up?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Xinix]

I live in Spain and it's the 1st country where it's rolled out. I guess it's because they want to pilot. Spain is not, ahem, advanced when it comes to EV penetration so any issues they find here can be ironed out before they roll out to the real world.

 

[Todor]

@Xinix let us know what the terms are? If you know: is there monthly cost, is there any difference between normal and Kia price per kWh?

 

[marcusw1972]

Go to www.kiacharge.com - the only country shown is Spain but click on that and using the translator you can see the map of Europe and how many charging stations that are covered in each country - it says 5119 for the UK.- clicking on that it then sub-divides by region (just like Zap-Map and you can zoom in to see the actual stations covered, what charging systems they have and what payment method for the moment..

 

[Xinix]

@Xinix let us know what the terms are? If you know: is there monthly cost, is there any difference between normal and Kia price per kWh?

There's 3 plans, Easy, Plus and Advanced. Easy is without monthly costs, Plus is €3.95 per month and Advanced is €6.99 per month.

• With Easy you pay the standard prices per charger (depends of course on the network) and €0.49 to initiate a session. They also charge €2.95 for signup and the card.
• With Plus there's no signup nor session costs but apparently (no info yet) prices per kWh are the same as with Easy.
• With Advanced AC charging is €0.28 and DC charging is €0.37 per kWh (I assume that is VAT inclusive).

In ALL plans Ionity costs €0.79 / kWh! Blooming extorsionists.....

 

[DragonQ]

So wait, on top of paying a charger's usual costs, we'd have to pay 49c on top per charge and have to pay €2.49 up front for the privilege? Why would someone do that?

 

[Knukes]

So wait, on top of paying a charger's usual costs, we'd have to pay 49c on top per charge and have to pay €2.49 up front for the privilege? Why would someone do that?

If that is the tariff we end up with in the UK, it really doesn't make sense. Why would you pay £6.33 a month to get DC charging at 34p when most chargers are cheaper than that? With the exception of the ridiculous Ionity of course and its way too high tariffs.

Making charging networks simpler to use shouldn't cost more and I hope Kia in the UK recognise this or it will fail before it gets started. Even if it cost the same to charge, I would use it for the convenience, but it isn't convenient enough to justify the additional charges.

 

[idiotzoo]

Go to www.kiacharge.com - the only country shown is Spain but click on that and using the translator you can see the map of Europe and how many charging stations that are covered in each country - it says 5119 for the UK.- clicking on that it then sub-divides by region (just like Zap-Map and you can zoom in to see the actual stations covered, what charging systems they have and what payment method for the moment..

I tried that and found the number randomly changes and moves around each time I tap it....

 

[marcusw1972]

I tried that and found the number randomly changes and moves around each time I tap it....

Each time you tap the number it zooms in slightly - keep tapping and eventually the number splits into sub groups - keep clicking on a sub group and keep choosing and keep tapping and you will eventually get to an individual charging station.