Kia Europe’s Kia Charge service, launched alongside the Kia EV6 in September 2021, has achieved a milestone with over 100,000 subscriptions. The service serves as the central platform for all charging activities for Kia in Europe, catering to both public and business customers.
Offering access to more than 700,000 charging points across 28 European countries, Kia Charge has been used by 60% of Kia electric vehicle buyers. Customers have completed over two million charging sessions using either their card or the Kia Charge app.
Martin Enthofer, Director of Customer Experience Strategy and Solutions at Kia Europe, noted, “The rising popularity of Kia Charge is proof that the consolidated one-contract concept is exactly what customers need, helping them to easily access charging stations where and when they want.”
Kia Charge provides a comprehensive charging solution, including route planning, authentication, account management, and payment options. Customers can choose between the “Easy” pay-as-you-go option or the “Plus” subscription for intensive usage, which offers a discounted price.
The service is supported by a dedicated app and website, ensuring easy access to public charging infrastructure within the Kia network and beyond. It also integrates with the Kia EV Route Planner, which automatically detects and adds charging stations along the route.
Looking ahead, Kia is developing solutions to enable customers to manage their EV charging at home or work and take advantage of bidirectional charging, such as Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) and Vehicle-to-Home (V2H). A pilot project in the Netherlands is exploring ways to enhance the Kia Charge experience, including the addition of solar panels, energy by Vattenfall, and smart charging (V1G).
Kia Charge advocates for the use of renewable energy and ensures that the equivalent amount of energy consumed during charging events is fed into the electricity grid as green electricity, achieved through Guarantees of Origin.
