Range anxiety and charging times are false difficulties with electric automobiles, contrary to what early adopter EV enthusiasts claim. These are valid worries that, if not addressed, would prevent the expansion and widespread use of electric vehicles outside the enthusiast community.
But the market has now found a solution for both after more than a decade of false starts in the development and use of electric vehicles: extremely rapid charging.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5, which I drove and adored last year, has a corporate twin, the Kia EV6, which I was testing this week. I was truly amazed by how quickly DC fast charging can beless than 18 minutes to provide more than 200 miles of rangeand how it alters everything.
The innovative (and pricey) 800-volt architecture used by the EV6 was made possible by the enormous scale economies of the E-GMP platform, which will support the majority of the forthcoming EVs from Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. Competitors with slower charging 400-volt systems include the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Volkswagen ID.4, and Polestar 2.
The rise in voltage is significant, but to understand why, we first discuss basic physics: Watts are calculated using the formula volts * amps. In plain English, it indicates that you must increase the volts, the amperage, or both in order to accelerate the charging of an electric vehicle (EV). The E-GMP platform can charge a 400-volt vehicle at the same amperage twice as quickly as an 800-volt vehicle by employing an 800-volt architecture instead of a 400-volt.
Though Tesla continues to use a 400V architecture, its Superchargers can accommodate significantly more amperage than the majority of other fast-charging locations. In order to sustain higher amperage, both the car and the charging cable require much more copper (a thicker cable, for example), alternate cooling techniques, and/or measures to prevent overheating. Tesla’s technology is either superior to that of the competition (maybe!) or the business is just a little less conservative than the rest of the sector (certainly! ), or more likely a little of both.
What is certain is that Hyundai and Kia invested a significant amount of money in the research and development of the 800-volt system, exchanging an initial financial outlay for a significantly improved product. This positions Hyundai Motor Group as a leader in the world’s transition to electric vehicles for many years to come. Hyundai and Kia are not the only luxury companies offering 800-volt EVs. Although Porsche and Audi are already selling them, the South Korean company is now the only major automaker to offer 800V vehicles.
I was astounded when I tested out a 350 kW Electrify America fast charger with my EV6. I walked into a Walmart parking lot with a 14 percent charge, swiped a credit card on a brand-new charger, and watched as electrons started to flow.
I had reached much over 200 kilowatts of charge in less than 30 seconds. According to research done by InsideEVs, that’s twice what you’d see with a Ford Mustang Mach-E, which just about manages 100 kilowatts from 10% to 40%.
My research supported Kia’s claim that the EV6 can charge from 10 to 80 percent in just 18 minutes, which is incredibly quick when compared to the Mach-(about E’s 45 minutes) and VW ID’s charging times.4 (about 35 minutes). I’ve given the Mach-E positive reviews on multiple occasions, however it takes approximately three times as long to charge from 10% to 80%, after which the charging rate drops precipitously to around 12 kilowatts.
Contrarily, the EV6 continued to charge at just over 100 kilowatts even after completing 80 percent of its charge cycle, which is as quickly as the Mach-E for the majority of its full charge cycle. A portion of this is attributable to Ford’s charging software’s conservative design, which, according to company engineers, was created expressly to safeguard the battery and may be loosened in the future. But now, when compared to other items in their price range, the Kia and Hyundai products are lightning-quick.
Due to the company’s Supercharger facilities, I used to suggest the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y as my go-to EVs for everyone. The Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 have risen to the top of my list of suggestions thanks to these remarkable charging speeds and a rapidly expanding network of very-high-speed third-party charging stations (Electrify America, in particular).
The time it takes to stop at a gas station, refuel, go inside for a toilet break, and choose which can of road trip Pringles you want is rapidly approaching the duration of an 18-minute charging session. With the EV6 and Ioniq 5 and whatever EVs they release next, it puts Kia and Hyundai in the front of the field.
Additionally, it puts the rest of the industry on the back foot right away, despite the fact that they’ll undoubtedly dispute it. The VW ID and Mustang Mach-E won’t be far behind. Four owners begin to gripe about how their fancy new EV recharges much more slowly while they watched a Kia roll in empty and roll out fully charged.
Nearly all EV owners engage in conversation at charging stations, sharing notes and taking an interest in different vehicles as if it were an unplanned auto show. The EV6 and Ioniq 5 also have the best chance of winning best of show by exiting first.
In This Article...
How long does it take for my Kia EV6 to charge?
The Kia EV6 is the automaker’s first exclusively electric car and the first model to employ the new E-GMP electric platform developed by Hyundai, Kia’s parent company. The performance-oriented EV6 GT, according to Kia, can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.5 seconds and can go up to 245 miles on a single charge. The EV6 Long Range will be a better choice if you want range over speed.
According to Kia, charging the EV6 GT at home with a specific 7.4kW charger should take about 12.5 hours. The Kia EV6 GT can charge from 0 to 80 percent if you have access to a 250kW DC public rapid charge point in about 18 minutes.
How long does it take a Kia battery to charge?
- Most home charging stations offer this modest charging rate of 3 to 7 kW.
- Generally, a battery needs 8 to 24 hours to fully charge depending on the EV’s battery technology (ideal for overnight home charging).
- A dedicated circuit is needed for charging equipment, which delivers charging through a 220 volt (V), alternating-current (AC) connector. Typically, slow charging uses a regular household outlet (or a Type 2 socket).
- This equipment comes as standard on EVs and doesn’t need to be installed with charging infrastructure.
- When you purchase an electric vehicle, a charging cord for this kind of charging will be provided. A typical home plug is located on one end of the supplied cord. A connection that plugs into the vehicle is on the other end of the cable.
- 11 to 22 kW is the typical range for workplace charging stations and some public charging stations.
- Fast charging can take between 3 and 6 hours to fully charge, depending on the battery technology used in the specific model.
- Colder conditions may result in longer charging times.
- Installation of home charging or public charging equipment is required. Charging is done through a 220V, AC socket.
kW DC Charger
On a different day, but at the same Electrify America station, we conducted our EV6 test. Possibly by chance, the temperature was below freezing this time29 degreesas opposed to 53 degrees for the Ioniq 5. Due to the fact that we are not regular thieves, we used the “available 350-kW charger. The 30-minute session increased the anticipated range from 58 to 221 miles, increased the state of charge from 23 to 84 percent, and added 52.5 kWh for a total cost of $22.36.
As with the Ioniq 5, the charging rate increased to 130 kW after the battery’s level of charge reached 47 percent after starting out in the 70-kW range. Is there a magic number of 47 percent? Sadly, it never reached the same peak power as the Ioniq 5, even for a brief moment; perhaps this was because of the cooler weather. Its maximum power was 134.1 kW. The EV6 had been driven extensively before charging for more than an hour, just like the Ioniq 5.
How is a Kia EV6 charged?
The CCS charging standard, which has a combination AC and DC intake connector, is what the Kia EV6 makes use of. The Type 2 connector, which is used while charging at home or at public slow and fast AC ports, fits into the top portion of the inlet. High power is transported via the upper and lower regions of the intake during rapid DC charging. The CCS charging input for the Kia EV6 is located on the off-side rear flank, which is where the car’s side and rear come together.
Depending on the network and kind of charge unit, the Kia EV6 can be charged at public points in a slow, fast, or rapid manner. Fast charging often requires a Type 2-to-Type 2 cable, whereas slow charging typically calls for a 3-pin-to-Type 2. One of these cables is typically included with the vehicle. The vehicle employs a tethered CCS connector, which is a component of the charging unit, for quick charging.
How can I tell when the battery in my car is fully charged?
Verify the voltage. Use the voltmeter to measure the battery voltage to assist you decide what to do next. Your battery is healthy and fully charged if it is 12.6 volts or above.
How long does it take to recharge a dead battery in a car?
To create the power required to charge your battery, your engine must turn at least 1000 revolutions per minute (RPM). Your battery will recharge more quickly at speeds of 55 MPH or higher since quicker speeds produce more RPMs. Most vehicles’ batteries can be fully recharged after around 30 minutes of highway drive. Remember that the typical wait time is 30 minutes. It can take even longer to recharge your battery if it is severely drained.
How long does it take to charge a car battery that is completely dead?
wonderful question An average battery charge amp of 4 to 8 amperes will take 10 to 24 hours to fully recharge. It would take between two and four hours or, if possible, another vehicle to jumpstart your battery if you only want to boost it sufficiently to start the engine.
Idling the automobile or using a trickle charger are the two methods used most frequently to recharge the battery. Turning on your car and letting it sit is all that’s needed to recharge while idling, but keep in mind that if you want to fully charge your battery, you’ll need to leave it running for several hours. Make careful to switch off any other energy-consuming devices in the vehicle before doing this, such as the radio, lights, air conditioning, etc.
You can buy a trickle charger for between $20 and $100 at any retailer (online or offline) that sells auto maintenance supplies if you’d prefer not to let your car idle. This gadget slowly and steadily feeds electricity from a power socket to your battery. Due to the fact that trickle charging typically allows the batteries to maintain the charge longer, this is typically much better for your car.
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Is a home charger included with the Kia EV6?
The EV6’s revolutionary 800V E-GMP charging system, which has a theoretical maximum output of 250kW, has a ton of subtleties. Kia advertises charging from 10% to 80% or 210 miles in 18 minutes, or increasing range by 62 miles in 5 minutes. Even while those results are obviously under ideal circumstances, they nonetheless set an incredible new standard for the sector.
- For better or worse, the EV6 doesn’t come with a Level 1 or 2 charging cable. Speaking with the team, I believe the reasoning is that adding a $1,000 component and the complexity that goes along with it is unnecessary because some people may already have a charging station at home, may not have a garage, and/or may be able to choose the best model for them at a lower cost from an online retailer. That makes sense for someone like me who already has like five different EV chargers at home, but for a first-time EV consumer, it significantly increases the complexity of purchasing an EV. A $200 charging cable included as a bonus would be very sensible. For what it’s worth, when given the choice between the three options, 1219 out of 1500 owners of EV6 First Editions chose a charging cable (rather than a charge credit or an Apple Watch).
- If your home or L2 charger can handle it, the inbuilt AC charging station charges at 240V/48A 11.5kW, which is fantastic. Many L2 chargers have a 32A rating, which means that charging will happen much more slowly.
- We attempted to charge at the one DC fast charging station nearby (located via Plugshare), but it never started. A strange 100kW DC fast charging station without any branding that appeared to be utilized for municipal vehicles was available for free (?). Others were able to plug into an Electrify America station in Santa Rosa, some 30 minutes away, and received a respectable but far from sufficient charge. I advise the Kia team to consider including a quick charging point on the route the following timeour readers want to hear about it!
- Kia doesn’t appear to have made any announcements about a cooperation with EA or another company like EVGO, but it appears that they will soon. Since Hyundai’s brother is affiliated with EA, I would place my bet there.
- Hope customers enjoy backing into your charging stations since the charge port is in the rear passenger corner. And it might become dirty there.
Does the EV6 include free charging?
According to Kelly Blue Book, when you buy a new Kia EV6, you might be surprised to learn that it features a brand-new feature. In order to provide a bonus charging station with the purchase of the 2022 EV6, Kia collaborated with Electrify America (EA).
Over 300 miles can typically be covered by the new small crossover. Depending on the model, it gets close to matching the mileage range of a compact automobile. Even when you’re on the go, like camping or picnics, it has a charging plug for your electric bike or a portable wine cooler.
One of the biggest and boldest vehicles now available is the EV6. Combining that with the new agreement with EA, you have a winning formula for winning over skeptics to the new EV market. With the introduction of their potent GT model, Kia will soon step up their game.