Owners of Kia EV can now charge their vehicles wherever they want

A partnership with mobile charging service ‘Currently’ allows owners to charge up when and where they want.

While electric vehicles require less maintenance and are less expensive to run than gasoline-powered vehicles, they are still prohibitively expensive to purchase. Even with incentives, a vehicle such as the Kia EV6 remains out of reach for many American consumers. To make EVs even more appealing, manufacturers usually provide free charging for battery-powered vehicles.

This was recently proved by Toyota, which provided one year of free charging at EV-go owned and operated charging stations across the United States. Anyone who purchases or leases a 2023 Toyota bZ4X is eligible for the deal.

Kia America is the latest manufacturer to jump on board, partnering with ‘Currently’ to offer Kia EV owners an “on-demand concierge service.”

The partnership officially started on March 1 and will allow drivers to charge their electric vehicles at a convenient location. All Kia EV owners will receive two months of free charging, and while this isn’t a full year, it’s better than nothing. It does, however, differ from standard EV charging. Drivers use the Currently smartphone app to schedule a time and location for their car to be charged. A technician from Currently Delivery will arrive and charge the vehicle.

While there are plans to expand to other cities in the near future, the initial rollout is now available in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Jose, all of which have a high demand for electric vehicles.

“The relationship with our customers does not end after delivery. In fact, that is just the beginning…partnering with Currently to offer complimentary EV charging connects to our larger ‘Plan S’ strategy and amplifies our commitment to overall EV adoption. We believe making charging easy also makes EV ownership easy,” said Greg Silvestri, Kia’s VP of Service Operations.

It is currently the first mobile EV charging service available in the United States, and it will add another level of practicality to EV ownership. Furthermore, it will reduce range anxiety by allowing drivers to charge their cars anywhere as long as they plan ahead.

Josh Aviv, CEO of Currently’s parent company, Sparkcharge said, “Together, Kia and Currently will have a huge impact on the environment and people’s lives. But there is the often-overlooked time-saving element of full-service mobile charging, eliminating the wait at charging stations. Everyone can use an extra couple of hours each week. Kia and Currently are making Kia EV owners’ lives in these cities better and greener.”

While the free period is much shorter than that of competing companies, particularly Audi’s incredible three years of free charging, Kia’s partnership with Currently will undoubtedly gain a few loyal users. The unique concierge system allows owners to charge when and where they want, rather than wasting time at a charging station.