[Tommo21]

"Kia's antidote to range anxiety: Korean brand launches app that gives EV drivers single-account access to 14k public chargers across various networks"

Quote from Mailonline this morning.
I haven't posted the link as the site is full of ads and bloatware, but this is great news I would have thought for Kia EV owners.

 

[iooi]

Less bloatware

Autotrader

Kia launches EV charging service covering 68% of UK network | Autocar

New KiaCharge platform streamlines access and payment for nearly 14,000 chargers nationwide

www.autocar.co.uk

This is Money

Kia's new app gives drivers access to 14,000 public EV chargers

It's new KiaCharge s 'one-stop shop' system gives drivers of its cars access to 13,900 UK charging points at which to recharge their pure electric or plug-in petrol-electric hybrid vehicles.

www.thisismoney.co.uk

 

[2012vengaman]

Certainly helps, but if EV is the future then it needs to be like petrol / diesel fill points so a universal plug fitting (which I believe is about sorted now) and pay and go on credit cards / cash at the "Pump".

As an example of how far it still has to go, I watched Maddie Moates Electric Journey on YouTube and the messing about at the charging points with registration and apps is why standardisation is urgently needed for the charging networks for EV to be the future. It needs to be as simple as filling with petrol (albeit electric is slower at present) no matter who is supplying the electric or even ability to walk into the counter area and pay in cash to load a "pump" with say £10 worth of electric.

Its a bit like Linux which was heralded as the Windows beater but never really made it, as for users, it is often frustratingly difficult to do things without having inside knowledge. Now imagine an older person who has been driving for 50 years or more and doesn't know about apps and might not even have a smartphone.....if ICE is legislated away, what are they to do currently if public transport isn't a viable option? They don't understand apps, they might not have a credit card. Currently I'm unaware of any electric charge point away from home that would allow them to use cash as they can now for petrol.

I should say I'm not a EV hater and likely will have at least a Hybrid next time I buy a car but to me the EV journey still has many bugs to be ironed out.

 

[Tommo21]

Must admit, I'm definitely not an EV convert yet by any means, but this does seem to be a start in fixing the "range anxiety".

68% coverage should provide a more than adequate solution when planning journies and the ability to pay by monthly subscription and app registration should alleviate one of the main bugbears which exists at present.

At least Kia is doing something to facilitate the transition to EV and I think this merits positive recognition.

As I say, I'm not convinced yet, and I certainly don't trust the supply chain to keep costs to a minimum for "refuelling". So it's still the mucky diesel for me I'm afraid until that option is taken away by disproportionate taxation/penalties/duties etc or the EV market grows and becomes a better economic option.

 

[phil866]

I think anything an EV manufacturer can do to alleviate some of the practical and mental blocks to a positive take up is to be commended. I'm in the 'It won't work for me yet' brigade for lots of very good reasons, but the more help I get to see EV ownership as do-able makes the future a lot less worrying.

 

[iooi]

Must admit, I'm definitely not an EV convert yet by any means, but this does seem to be a start in fixing the "range anxiety".

Can't see it doing any for "Range Anxiety" More of Common Sense App that allows you a simple pay point for a large range (68%) of the various providers out there.
EV's like the E-Niro already have EV charge points in the Sat Nav and it can plan trips that take these into account so you do not run out of power.

 

[firefly6260]

Quite a few organisations are jumping on the bandwagon trying to become the dominant "Go To- One Stop Shop" for charging networks. Zap Map launched Zap Pay last September to enable you to charge up at any EV point in their stable and only pay them, not several different providers. Seems to me Kia are on that pathway.

Zap-Map launches Zap-Pay: the simple way to pay for EV charging
Zap-Pay now available across Engenie rapid network
Zap-Map signs up ESB Energy to new electric vehicle payment platform

 

[jmboule]

Great news. Pls sort out charging speed. 160mins to charge an 8.4kwh battery is not good enough. Not everyone has a driveway.

 

[iooi]

Great news. Pls sort out charging speed. 160mins to charge an 8.4kwh battery is not good enough. Not everyone has a driveway.

Trouble is faster charging leads to more heat. As other manufactures have found (ford etc) that faster charging of small PHEV batteries leeds to car fires & recalls.

TBH. If you do not have a home charger or FREE charging at work, or close by. A PHEV can be more expensive to charge than running a ICE engine.

 

[jmboule]

You are right but at least a 7.4kwh charger could have been a good compromise to charge up in approx an hr. I bet the next gen cars would likely improve on this.

 

[Davidb123]

Toyota and Panasonic have developed a solid state car battery, 500 mile range 10 mins to fully charge, battery will have a 99 year life span, should be in cars by 2025 if not before, no mention of vehicle costs, which may be the stumbling block.

 

[Davidb123]

Just read first solid state battery car should be launched 2021so watch this space, as if it’s a reasonable price and range and charging speeds as good as they say, this will be a real electric car game changer.

 

[Goatwidcoat]

Just read first solid state battery car should be launched 2021so watch this space, as if it’s a reasonable price and range and charging speeds as good as they say, this will be a real electric car game changer.

Developments like this are what is making me hold off for another 3-5 years. I would hate to think of how much a current electric cars resale value would plummet come 2025 if brand new cars can charge so much faster and have much more capacity. They could become obsolete very quickly.

 

[Davidb123]

Developments like this are what is making me hold off for another 3-5 years. I would hate to think of how much a current electric cars resale value would plummet come 2025 if brand new cars can charge so much faster and have much more capacity. They could become obsolete very quickly.

Very true , that’s why I lease my cars so I have a fixed cost and no major hits with resale values

 

[firefly6260]

Keep on waiting and wishing your lives away then. Renault announced a solid state battery in Autumn 2019 and think it is still 12-18 months away .https://easyelectriclife.groupe.renault.com/en/outlook/technology/solid-state-battery-change-future-of-electric-car/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvZrKgYSI7wIVE7rtCh3ddwnKEAAYASAAEgKR5PD_BwE

 

[firefly6260]

Samsung solid-state battery breakthrough could double EV range
Published: 11 May 2020
A short circuit
As one of the largest lithium-ion battery makers in the world, Panasonic has skin in that battery game. Nevertheless it reckons solid-state batteries are still some ten years away from commercial use.
It does co-own Tesla’s Gigafactory and supplies the batteries for Tesla cars, and it reckons the improvement in EV batteries in the short-term will come from further developing lithium-ion batteries.
Rather than go down the solid-state route, Tesla is working on improving the performance of lithium-ion batteries, with it last year touting new chemistry which could power an EV for more than a million miles.
Given the improvements in lithium-ion batteries and the millage that can be extracted out from them, as well as how they are already being mass produced, it’s unlikely we’ll see them ousted by solid-state batteries anytime soon.

 

[iooi]

Offical Kia page on the KiaCharge.

Wonder how long before it's avaiable?

KiaCharge – The smartest way to charge your electrified Kia in public | Kia Go Electric

Going electric is now as easy as ever. With KiaCharge, one card grants you easy access to the world’s largest public charging network, a range of smart services and competitive tariffs. Discover all benefits now.

preprod2-eu.kia.com

Interesting that it is KiaCharge and KiaCharge.com/XX are offered by Digital Charging Solutions. Yet there is no mention on their website about it. Which you would think would be a major new article.