Over 30,000 UK chargers now available via Kia Charge
Kia is now offering its customers access to more than 30,000 electric vehicle chargepoints through its public charging solution.
Kia Charge – a service exclusive to Kia customers designed to simplify public EV charging – now offers seamless access to more than 30,000 connectors in the UK, as of February 2023.
The total number of connectors available through Kia Charge has grown by 48 per cent to 30,324 chargers in the last 12 months. Within this the number of chargers offering peak charging speeds of more than 100kW has nearly trebled (189 per cent growth), reflecting operators’ eagerness to facilitate longer journeys. Compared to when it was introduced in February 2021 with 13,900 connectors, the total number of UK connectors has more than doubled (up 218 per cent).
While Kia Charge now reaches 26,800 AC chargers (up 49 per cent), more than 10 per cent, or 3,500, are rapid DC chargers (50-350kW). Over-100kW chargers account for more than 900 of these, a number growing every month. One of the key high-power charging operators, IONITY, has increased its connector numbers to 99 (up 32 per cent) across 19 UK locations. UK locations will more than double before the end of the year, with seven more locations already under construction. Existing sites are also being upgraded to offer significantly more stations. In 2023, a monthly average of more than 5,700 charging sessions takes place via Kia Charge in the UK – a number growing every month as more Kia EV customers sign up to the service.
The growth in the 27 different charging networks available through Kia Charge gives Kia owners access to more DC connectors in the UK than any other brand. Furthermore, these networks are all accessible through a single Kia Charge account offering a single monthly invoice for all public charging.
Kia compensates all charging activity via Kia Charge with 100 per cent renewable wind power. Kia purchases the equivalent number of megawatt-hours (MWh) used by customers from renewable sources, via Guarantee of Origin certificates. This effectively adds zero-emissions power to the grid and increases visibility for green electricity demand on the market.
The Kia Charge service provides easy access to chargers across all parts of the UK and Europe from a single account. In total, Kia Charge opens access to more than 30,000 connectors across the UK – equivalent to approximately 85 per cent of the national public infrastructure – and more than 450,000 across 27 other European countries.
In the UK, the service encompasses 27 charge point operators, including key networks such as bp pulse, Ubitricity Shell, Source London, Instavolt, Pod Point, Osprey and Shell Recharge. The service also offers access to the IONITY high-powered charging network. A single account gives access to all networks via a smartphone app (Android or iOS) or RFID card, with straightforward monthly invoicing.
