Kia UK Limited has introduced a new IONITY bolt-on to its Kia Charge service, opening the door to low-cost high-power charging for Kia EV owners.

• Kia Charge (www.kiacharge.com) provides comprehensive access to the UK public charging network, with around 17,000 connectors accessible from a single account. The new bolt-on enables Kia EV owners to access IONITY’s high-speed 350kW charging points across the UK and Europe.

  Paul Philpott, President & CEO of Kia UK Limited, commented: “Kia’s partnership with IONITY is an essential part of our plans to make EVs a more viable option. A reliable infrastructure that supports our vehicles' high voltage capabilities is vital in encouraging more people to make the switch to electric mobility. Furthermore, this bolt-on supports efforts by Kia and our UK dealers to educate customers and help them feel more at ease with EV ownership and charging.”

  “With Kia Charge, the combination of Kia’s long-range EV6 and access to the comprehensive IONITY network reimagines the EV user experience. It provides a seamless journey through easy access to a vast charging network, a simple payment process, lower electricity prices and, most importantly, ultra-fast high-tech charging.”

  Discounted ultra-fast charging for Kia Charge users – just £0.25 per kWh
  Available to Kia Charge users on either of the two tariffs offered (see tariff details below), the bolt-on costs £11.25 per month. Thanks to Kia’s partnership with IONITY, this allows Kia Charge users to enjoy heavily discounted rapid charging on the IONITY network. The bolt-on reduces the standard charging rate from £0.70 per kWh by 64 per cent, to £0.25 per kWh. It also eliminates the £0.49 session fee.

  Recharging a 64kWh e-Niro or Soul from 10-to-80 per cent via an IONITY connector therefore costs just £11.20, compared to £31.85 without the bolt-on – a saving of more than £20. The £11.25-per-month bolt-on therefore pays for itself in a single charge.

  Furthermore, the Kia EV6 due to launch later this year will be the first Kia to offer 800V ultra-fast charging. This technology enables the car’s battery to recharge from 10-to-80 per cent in just 18 minutes (and for just £13.55) when plugged in to IONITY’s ultra-fast charging network.

  The new bolt-on also enables users to access IONITY’s 400 high-power charging points across 24 European countries with similar discounted charging rates*, facilitating low-cost rapid-charging on cross-continental drives.

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  Access to 17,000 UK charging points from a single account
  Kia Charge is a UK-wide integrated public charging service, designed to give drivers easier access to public vehicle charging. It gives owners of the brand’s EVs and PHEVs (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles) comprehensive access to around 17,000 charge points across the UK – around 68 per cent of the public charging network – from a single account.

  Kia Charge provides access to several major charging networks, including bp pulse, Pod Point, IONITY, Source London, Instavolt, Shell NewMotion, Osprey, Char-gy, and ESB. Several other networks, including certain regional services, are also available. Being able to access these networks via a single platform negates the need for drivers to sign up to separate accounts with multiple charging point operators.

  Once signed up, Kia EV and PHEV owners can start a charge via the Kia Charge smartphone app or radio-frequency identification (RFID) card. Instead of numerous individual transactions, payments are made via a single itemised monthly invoice.

  Kia Charge offers a choice of two fully flexible tariffs for all customers: ‘Easy’ and ‘Plus’:

  • ‘Easy’:
  • Ideal for light users
  • One-off £1.99 charge to access the service and obtain RFID card
  • No monthly subscription, £0.49 ‘session fee’ on most chargers (excluding bp pulse and Pod Point)
  • Users charged per kWh
    
    
  • ‘Plus’:
  • Ideal for those who rely more heavily on public charging
  • £2.99 monthly tariff, with no up-front charge or session fees
  • Users charged per kWh, but with 15 per cent discount per kWh from most networks (except bp pulse, Pod Point and IONITY)

  Every user can also add a bp pulse bolt-on subscription to their Kia Charge account, costing an additional £7.85 per month. This subscription provides users with a discount of up to 40 per cent when charging within the bp pulse network, compared to the ‘instant’ charging rate.

  Customers can sign up to Kia Charge at www.kiacharge.com or by downloading the iOS or Android app (search ‘Kia Charge’ on the App Store or Google Play).

  *per-kWh rate differs by country