When I bought my Kia EV6, I had no intention of driving electric. I rented a Tesla Model 3 and the experience was horrible. But with my old BMW I had a Mazda CX-50 in mind and then switched to a used electric car for a very good price. Although I have been excited since coming home, there are things I wish I had known.
Are you considering electric propulsion? Whether you can charge at home or not, here are the most important things you want to know before making a purchase.
Know your charge level
I live in an apartment with a parking space but no electrical outlet. This means that I cannot install a high-voltage outlet for so-called “Level 2” charging.
Level 1 is a standard three-pole household plug. My machine came with an adapter, but it takes days to fully charge it.
Level 2 is faster and requires a special charger (eg a dry socket). Most cars, including my 2022 Kia EV6, use the so-called J1772 port, although the industry is moving toward Tesla’s NACS standard. The latest Kia EV6 uses NACS and therefore works on any Tesla charging station and other compatible chargers. My car charges in less than 8 hours with a level 2 charger.
Level 3 uses DC for fast charging. These are the chargers you see at the rest stops. They look like a larger level 2 charger and pump power directly to the battery much faster. At charge level 3, my Kia EV6 can be charged from 1% to 80% in about 20 minutes, giving me a range of 200 miles. It takes another 20 minutes for the battery to charge to 100%.
Public charging is (normally) not free
Many people think that charging electric vehicles is free. That’s not all. Charging stations at rest stops or shopping centers likely belong to networks such as Electrify America or Tesla. You pay various fees for charging, such as at the supermarket.
Prices vary depending on charging network, charging speed and even time of day. Billing is based on kilowatt hours (kWh).
My car has a 77.4 kWh battery. If you paid $0.50/kWh, you would pay $38.70 to travel about 300 miles. I think that’s about the same as the $4/gal gas price in my BMW. It’s not bad, but it’s not a real savings either.
You save money by charging at home: the average electricity price for a US household is about $0.13/kWh. Unfortunately, I don’t have this option. However, I found a free charger at the local S-Bahn station. Strange, but I haven’t paid for the groceries on the spot yet, because I can pick it up for free when I park at the station.
Be prepared for application overload
The charging infrastructure is fragmented. What started with Tesla has grown into countless companies such as Shell, ChargePoint and Electrify America.
Tap-to-Pay chargers are rarer than expected. Normally, you need to download the corresponding network application to start a charging session. This means you don’t have to worry about network issues, errors, account settings and subscription fees.
The first app you need is PlugShare. It’s like Yelp for electric vehicle charging. Users report which stations actually work, how much they cost and how fast they charge, so you don’t have to drive to a broken outlet.
The “80% rule” saves time
Electric vehicle batteries charge very quickly to 80% and then slow down significantly to ensure their long life.
This means that you rarely need to take 100% when traveling by car. My Kia reaches 80% in 20 minutes. To reach 100% you need another twenty. It’s much faster to drive 200 miles, charge for 20 minutes and get back on the road than to wait the last 20%. I only charge 100% if I can leave the car overnight; Otherwise, 80% is enough to get you to the nearest fast charger.
Trust (above all) the supply
If my car says I have a range of 250 miles, I trust it, assuming I drive normally. Unlike gasoline cars, which are more efficient on highways, electric vehicles are incredibly efficient in traffic jams because regenerative braking captures energy when you slow down.
However, factors such as high speed (over 70 miles per hour) and stress from air conditioning reduce this number. I used to push my gas cars past the “empty” state, but I haven’t taken a chance on the electric car yet.
Cold weather creates problems
My car ran great all summer and got a range of 300 miles. It was cold in the winter. Batteries hate the cold. Suddenly my battery only promised 250 miles or less. If you live in a cold climate, you can expect their range to decrease in the winter.
Aren’t you looking for a spare part in the… trunk?
With a huge battery underneath, my electric car exceeds all expectations. I have a “frunk” (front trunk) for storage, but no spare tire.
All electric vehicles I’ve seen do without the spare tire to save weight and space for motors and batteries. If I break down, I have to call a tow truck. As someone who knows how to change a tire, I’m cautious, but it’s the new normal.
There are actually two batteries in an electric vehicle
When I bought my Kia EV6 I threw away the jumper cables – big mistake! Like internal combustion engine cars, my EV6 has a 12V battery in the front, in addition to the large high voltage battery that powers the engine. The smaller 12V battery powers the electronics, including vital systems such as the starter motor and charging system.
This means that if my 12V battery dies, I cannot start my car. I can’t even charge the car. Normally this is not a problem, but I wish I had known in advance. Remotely controlling my car’s functionality via the Kia app also drains the battery. Problems also occur when it is very cold, which is the case with most 12V car batteries. I already needed a good start, a task I had given up when I started driving electric.
The speed is real (and it eats tires)
My Kia EV6 is not the fastest GT version, but in Sport mode the acceleration drives me crazy. Electric motors deliver instant torque, making them faster than gasoline-powered production cars. My father, who owned small BMW and MGB roadsters at the time, was also very impressed with this pickup.
The advantage is minimal maintenance effort: no oil changes. The downside? This instantaneous torque destroys the bonds. Because electric vehicles are heavy and accelerate quickly, the tires will wear out faster than expected. Rotate them religiously.