Our long-term Kia EV6 test car has an excellent charging curve

In the event you’ve carried out a lot charging of electrical automobiles, you’re in all probability already aware of the time period “charging curve.” It’s not one thing you’ll see producers drop in press releases usually, nevertheless it’s positively going to be impactful to your fast-charging expertise at public charging stations. 

Battery packs in automobiles (and lithium-ion battery packs all over the place) can’t cost on the identical pace 100% of the time, largely resulting from warmth constraints. In layman’s phrases, the nearer to capability you get, the warmer the battery pack turns into, and the slower you’re going to cost in consequence. That signifies that although your EV may be rated for a most cost charge of 235 kW, it gained’t cost at 235 kW from 0-100% the entire time. If circumstances (and the charger) enable it, you’ll hopefully see the automobile cost at or close to the utmost charge for a very good bit earlier than it slows down because the battery beneficial properties increasingly more cost. In the event you look forward to it to trickle as much as 100%, the cost charge can have dropped off to a dribble by the point you get there.

In fact, probably the most ultimate state of affairs that may produce the shortest cost instances is for a automobile to have a cost curve that stays excessive for so long as potential, minimizing the period of time you spend charging at a decrease pace. This results in much less total time spent ready round at a charger, which is all the time a plus in our guide.

We’ve had our 2022 Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD long-term check automobile for a very good variety of months now and carried out a variety of fast-charging periods with it the place the automobile fees at its peak pace. So we’ve skilled the EV6’s cost curve time and time once more, permitting us to get a good suggestion of what the EV6 can do.

Kia claims the EV6’s peak cost pace is 235 kW, which in case you take a gander by means of our listing of fastest-charging electrical automobiles, is definitely fairly good. Fortunately, the cost curve has proved to be fairly good, too. Our EV6 rapidly shoots as much as its most charging pace quickly after plugging in, and has steadily displayed cost speeds within the cluster’s readout which are even larger than the quoted 235 kW most. 

From zero to roughly 55%, the EV6 hovers across the 220-230 kW cost pace vary — that’s actually good! When you get past 60%, the speed drops to roughly 190 kW. Transfer past 70%, and the regular slowdown is in full impact. By the point you’ve hit 80% — the everyday level at which EVs hit a wall in cost pace as of late — the pace has moved underneath 150 kW, and it retains taking place from right here.

Earlier than you scoff at that 150 kW cost pace from 70-80%, enable us to remind you that numerous EVs have cost speeds that max out proper round 150 kW, and so they’re topic to their very own distinctive charging curves. To call a couple of rivals, the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Volkswagen ID.4 each have max charging speeds at or underneath 150 kW.

In terms of a cost curve that produces fast fast-charging stops on highway journeys or fast top-ups alike, the EV6 is an superior companion. Going from 10-80% on a charger that’s working because it ought to (that’s no assure) solely takes about 15-20 minutes. In the event you look forward to that closing 20% to stand up to a full cost, it’s going to be one other 15-20 minutes of ready, however that’s very regular for EVs.

While you evaluate it to different trendy EVs — as is finished on this ArenaEV charging check — the EV6 stays trying like a champion. The lesson discovered by means of expertise and information right here is that the EV6 has a superb and really user-friendly charging curve, so fast-charge away!

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