How do electric vehicles work?

Electric vehicles are powered purely by rechargeable batteries. They do not rely on petrol or diesel. The batteries control the electric motors which then power the wheels. The battery can then be charged via a wall socket (at home) or dedicated charging point (found at multiple locations).

Are electric cars quiet?

Yes! Almost silent, due to the absence of a gas-powered engine. In fact, some electric cars make an artifical noise, so that they don't go unnoticed by pedestrians.

How fast are electric cars?

At lightning speed! Well, not quite... electric cars don't use a traditional gearbox, so the torque produced by the electric motors can see EVs reach from 0-60mph in under 3 seconds.

How far can an electric car travel?

Most EV's in the market average around 100 miles before they need recharging. However, some of the higher capacity batteries can see cars trael as far as 250 miles between charges.

How long will an electric car last?

Electric cars are just as durable as their petrol or diesel counterparts. In fact, as there are less mechanical parts to go wrong, you may find an EV will last longer than traditional fuel cars. Most EV batteries are warranted for 8 years/100,000 miles.

Are electric cars environmentally friendly?

EVs are environmentally friendly in many ways. They don't emit carbon emissions like traditional fuel cars and they create very little noise pollution.

Are electric cars safe?

Electric cars are as safe to drive as traditional fuel vehicles.

BEV stands for Battery Electric Vehicles. A BEV is all-electric and uses no traditional fuel.

What is the difference between BEV and PHEV?

A PHEV operates by both electric battery and traditional fuel. The car will usually run on electric power until the battery is depleted, then it will switch over to traditional fuel for the remainder of the journey. A BEV is only fueled by the electric battery.

What are the benefits of owning an electric car?

EV's are cheaper to run due to lower running costs, cheaper to maintain due to less mechanical parts and, lower company car tax, government grants, free charging stations and they’re better for the environment.

Are electric cars reliable?

Electric vehicles are naturally more reliable than their traditional fuel counterparts, due to there being less mechanical parts to go wrong. They usually come with an longer warranty, around 8 years or 100,000 miles.

How long do electric batteries last?

Most batteries are under warranty by manufacturers for 8 years/100,000 miles, however there are a number of factors that can affect battery lifespan such as temperature and overcharging.

How often do you have to replace the battery?

This will depend on the manufacturer warranty as well as the usage – on average most batteries will be replaced every 5-8 years. The batteries can then be sent for recycling.

Where can I charge my electric car?

You can charge an electric car at your home or at a public charging station. If you need to find a charging station, you can find them here: https://www.zap-map.com/

How long does an electric car take to charge?

Charging times can depend on both th battery size and the charging point. Slow Charger (up to 3kw), Fast chargers (7-22kw), Rapid chargers (43-120kw), Super chargers (150kw).

Are charging stations free to use?

Some public charging stations are free to use, however the rapid chargers available at service stations and the like are usually chargable. You can subscribe to charging services nationwide for even better value charging. A typical electric car (60kw battery/200 mile range) will cost you around £9 to charge at home, most work places that have installed electric chargers will offer free charging as will public charge points at supermarkets/car parks. Rapid charging points will usually cost under £10 for a 30 min charge (100 mile range) and will most commonly be found at motorway service stations.

Do all electric vehicles use the same plug?

No, most EVs will be supplied with 2 charging cables. A mode 2 charging cable which is used for connecting your car to an ordinary domestic socket (3 pin plug) for at-home charging, and a Mode 3 charging cable which will connect your car to the charging station.

Can I get funding toward a home charging point?

Yes, the government do offer a grant to install a charge point at home. Please ask about current availability.

Electric Car Public Charging Stations

Public electric car charging. Free to roam, easy to charge.

Electric cars are often charged at home, but it's important you're able to charge on the go in a convenient and fast way.

The Kia Charge app gives you access to multiple UK and European public charging networks in one, seamless solution.

From planning your trips to paying for charging, Kia Charge is the only app you need. Charging on the go has never been easier.

Quick & easy access to over 360,000 stations

With Kia Charge, you can locate stations and access all necessary information like pricing and availability with confidence.

The all-in-one Kia Charge app

Kia Charge features a handy trip planner. It also consolidates all your public charging payments into one monthly bill so you have complete transparency over your public charging costs.

Register For Kia Charge Here
Two simple tariffs

Kia Charge Easy: Perfect if you only occasionally use public car charging stations/points. It gives you the freedom to access most UK charging stations - with no monthly subscription fee.

Kia Charge Plus: Made for you if you use electric public car charging stations on a regular basis. It gives you a 15% discount compared to the Easy tariff on networks other than bp pulse, Pod Point and IONITY. It also means you won't have to pay a session fee in the UK.

Kia Charge Tariff

Tariff	Kia Charge Easy	Kia Charge Plus
Monthly Subscription Fee	No	£2.99 per month
RFID Card Activation Fee	£1.99 one off fee	£0
kWh Price	bp pulse: 'instant' rate IONITY: £0.69/kWh Other: as priced	bp pulse: 'instant' rate IONITY: £0.69/kWh Other: 15% discount vs Easy
Session Fee	£0.49 when charging outside of the Pod Point or bp pulse networks	£0
Advantage	Fully flexible without monthly fees or commitment	Pay less in selected networks, with only one month's termination notice

Two optional subscriptions
IONITY - Power subscription

IONITY’s network of ultra-fast 350kW electric car charging stations is dotted along the UK and Europe’s major motorways.

Kia Charge already gives you seamless access to this network but with our £11.25-per-month one-year bolt-on subscription, you pay only £0.25 per kWh in the UK or €0.29 in most other European countries.
bp pulse - bp pulse subscription

Kia Charge already gives you access to the bp pulse network but with our optional bp pulse subscription and for just £7.85 per month, you benefit from significantly reduced kWh prices across Kia Charge’s largest individual charging network.
How long will it take to charge an electric car at a public station?

Public car charging stations vary in type, and this means that they offer different charging speeds.
AC Charging

Best used for long parking stays like overnight on-street charging.

AC charging time refers to Niro EV on 22kW charger
DC Charging

Perfect for charging quickly while en-route to a destination.

DC charging time refers to EV6 (10 - 80% capacity) on 350kW charger.

Charging time by station speed and model

Model	350kW DC		50kW DC		22kW AC		7.2kW AC
	High Power Charging		Rapid		Three-phase (Fast)		Single Phase (Fast)
	Effective max power	Approx charging time	Effective max speed	Approx charging time	Effective max speed	Approx charging time	Effective max speed	Approx charging time
XCeed PHEV	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	3.3kW	2 hours 15 min	3.3kW	2 hours 15 min
Niro PHEV	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	3.3kW	2 hours 55 min (15%-95%)	3.3kW	2 hours 55 min (15%-95%)
Niro EV	72kW	43 min (10%-80%)	50kW	1 hour 5 min (10%-80%)	11kW	6 hours 20 min	7.2kW	9 hours 25 min
Sportage PHEV	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	7.2kW	1 hour 45 min (10%-100%)	7.2kW	1 hour 45 min (10%-100%)
Soul EV	77kW	54 min (10%-80%)	50kW	1 hour 15 min	7.2kW	9 hours 35 min	7.2kW	9 hours 35 min
EV6	239kW	18 min (10%-100%)	50kW	1 hour 15 min	11kW	7 hours 20 min (10%-100%)	7.2kW	TBC
Sorento PHEV	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	3.3kW	3 hours 25 min	3.3kW	3 hours 25 min

All charging times featured in this table are indicative. Real-life charging times might differ.

Get to 80% fast

When using DC charging, Kia electric cars’ charging speeds slow down once the battery reaches 80% state of charge to help preserve the battery’s longevity.

It takes as long to charge from 0% to 80% as it does from 80% to 100%. If you are focused on completing a journey as fast as possible, you’ll want to make sure you only charge up to 80% capacity.

Bear this in mind and plan accordingly to help save time on longer journeys.
No access to Home Charging?

If you rely solely on public charging it is worth researching operators like Source London, Ubitricity, or Connected Kerb as these providers specifically offer convenient near-home charging for drivers without a driveway or off-street parking.

Charging providers are continuously improving and adding to their charging locations and offer value for charging terms for local residents.
Ready to experience the best in electric public charging?

Get your own Kia Charge account today to enjoy seamless access to our ever-growing network of electric car charging points.

Register For Kia Charge Here