Kia Steps Up EV Schooling Efforts

It may be powerful to be an EV driver if you happen to don’t know a lot about EVs. Listed here are among the terrible (however very avoidable) issues {that a} novice EV driver can do incorrect:

• Overcharging the battery: EV drivers who overcharge their automobile’s batteries can scale back their battery life and harm the automobile’s electrical techniques. So, it’s a good suggestion to cost to 75-90% when doable.
• Working out of battery: New EV drivers could not have a transparent understanding of the vary of their automobile and may find yourself stranded once they run out of energy.
• Trusting the onboard vary estimator: The vary estimate displayed by an EV’s onboard pc could be influenced by a number of elements, equivalent to driving habits, climate, and terrain. Relying solely on these estimates can result in operating out unexpectedly.
• Not planning their routes: Not like petrol-powered automobiles, it’s not all the time simple to discover a charging station on the final minute. EV drivers have to plan their routes earlier than getting down to guarantee they’ve sufficient energy to succeed in their vacation spot. Moreover, elements like terrain and pace have to be thought-about in route planning (normally by software program) to keep away from issues.
• Utilizing inefficient charging stations: Not all charging stations are the identical. Utilizing a Stage 2 charging station on a highway journey can decelerate the charging course of and end in pointless delays. Some EV infotainment techniques aren’t programmed to ship you to the quickest charging stations.

Educating new EV drivers about these key elements might help them develop into extra knowledgeable and assured drivers, which might make sure the success of their transition to electrical automobiles, and the success of the business at massive. So, it’s good to see some current bulletins by Kia America about its academic efforts.

Occasion-Based mostly Schooling

A method Kia America goes to step up its academic efforts is by making a comeback to Electrify Expo, a nationwide tour that brings collectively business leaders to debate the way forward for mobility. On Might 19, the tour will kick off in Lengthy Seaside, California, the place attendees can take a look at drive Kia’s award-winning EV6 and GT fashions, together with the extremely accoladed Niro EV. Furthermore, attendees will get a glimpse of Kia’s first absolutely devoted three-row EV SUV, the all-new EV9. Kia is happy to exhibit its progressive electrical automobiles at 5 Electrify Expo 2023 occasions in Lengthy Seaside, San Francisco, New York, Seattle, and Miami.

“Electrify Expo is the premiere gathering for high corporations and executives in electrification to share data and talk about how we’ll proceed to work towards a seamless transition to all-electrified automobiles,” mentioned Steven Heart, COO & EVP, Kia America. “The 2022 Electrify Expo occasions had been invaluable for our group to study extra about shopper attitudes towards electrification. We stay up for collaborating with our business colleagues to assist chart one of the best path ahead and form the way forward for the automotive business.”

Trade leaders and attendees alike will converge to debate essential matters related to the electrical automobile business. Attendees can anticipate to dive into legislative issues surrounding EVs, equivalent to vary anxiousness and sustainability, charging infrastructures, provide chain obstacles, in addition to the way forward for autonomous driving. For extra data and a whole record of classes and presenters, please go to www.electrifyexpo.com.

Video Collection

One other means Kia has stepped up on schooling is its new EV Schooling 101 video collection. The collection breaks down frequent EV possession matters, like charging infrastructure, expertise, vary, maximizing battery life, terminology, and even planning highway journeys. Kia’s purpose is to make EV possession a simple, stress-free and gratifying expertise for all.

Let’s check out the collection!

[embedded content]

One actually good factor the Kia group begins with is the very fundamentals of what an EV even is, together with the way it differs from hybrids and plugin hybrids. Whereas manufacturers like Toyota have performed video games with “Self Charging” EVs previously, Kia is attempting to be absolutely sincere right here, so individuals will know what they’re stepping into.

In addition they get into primary EV phrases, like vary. Once more, these are the very fundamentals that some individuals may not perceive.

[embedded content]

In one other video, they get into the fundamentals of charging. They begin with the degrees of EV charging, and so they classify them in keeping with the SAE system (Stage 1, Stage 2, and DCFC). They get into the significance of setting charging occasions, and the significance of planning forward. They point out that you simply would possibly want completely different apps to cost at completely different stations. Whereas it’s a bit iffy to incorporate this, they clarify that regenerative braking is a type of charging.

A number of different movies go deeper into dwelling charging, public charging, and the physics of battery packs.

[embedded content]

One factor I needed to verify they lined was among the EV charging etiquette at public stations. After explaining discover stations and be prepared to make use of them, they obtained into begin a cost session, however they didn’t clarify necessary issues like selecting an applicable stall or not charging absolutely to 100% except you actually need to take action.

[embedded content]

Journey planning is one other space the place I believe they actually dropped the ball. They did point out that baggage and weight can scale back vary, however failed to say the doable results of terrain, speeds, and climate. They made it sound like you possibly can simply discover stations alongside your route, which might depart individuals considering you possibly can truly go 310 miles in one of many Kia EVs they present.

Total, I believe this was an amazing first effort, however it left some key academic issues out that would get EV drivers into hassle and inconvenience different drivers who assume they’ve discovered all that they should know. So, as EV advocates, we’re going to must sustain our academic efforts!

It’s additionally in all probability a good suggestion for us to maintain reaching out to producers and sellers to verify they aren’t leaving necessary issues out for brand spanking new driver coaching. They is likely to be afraid of overwhelming new drivers with an excessive amount of data or making EVs sound too laborious, however leaving necessary issues out results in poor expectations that would hinder their efforts regardless.

Featured picture offered by Kia.