Kia America announced on Tuesday a partnership with Currently mobile charging service to provide its electric vehicle owners with an on-demand concierge service now available in three important California markets: Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Jose. Based on customer reception of this pilot program, future expansion to cities around the country will be considered. This association with Currently will help make the buying decision clearer for those looking for more sustainable and suitable mobility options.
Currently is the first mobile charging service operating in the US. Currently subscribers choose the time, location, and amount of charge they would like to receive, and a Currently Delivery Technician delivers the charge via mobile charger. Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, and Dallas are now being served by Currently with plans to expand into other cities in 2022.
The program aims to make full EV ownership more convenient and reduce potential for range anxiety. From now until April 30th, participation is offered at no cost to customers in these cities for an opportunity to use the app-based mobile charging service when requested. To utilize, Kia EV owners will need to download the Currently app from Apple’s App Store or Google Play and create an account. The service will then allow drivers to set time and location for a Currently technician to arrive and charge their vehicle up to 3 times every week for 2 months. Owners of these vehicles should review the terms and conditions on Currently’s website for additional details.
“The relationship with our customers does not end after delivery. In fact, that is just the beginning,” said Greg Silvestri, Kia’s Vice President of Service Operations, said. “Partnering with Currently to offer complimentary charging connects perfectly to our larger ‘Plan S’ strategy and amplifies our commitment to overall electrified vehicle adoption. We believe that making charging easy also makes ownership easy.”
“We couldn’t be happier to partner with Kia to give their electrified vehicle drivers the convenience of mobile charge delivery,” said Josh Aviv, CEO/Founder of SparkCharge, the parent company of Currently. “We created Currently to make ownership of these vehicles more convenient and accessible.”
Aviv continued, “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 electrified vehicle owners’ lives in these cities better and greener.”
On February 22th, Kia America and Electrify America have announced a partnership to provide Kia EV6 buyers with 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of complimentary EV charging/energy at any Electrify America station across the U.S. The agreement between the two companies will enable Kia owners 3,500 to 4,000 miles of all-electric driving at no charging cost, depending on the vehicle model and various conditions.
Electrify America’s vast DC charging network is the largest in the country, allowing high-speed charging of up to 350 kilowatts (kW) for capable vehicles. Kia customers can access this advanced charging network through the Electrify America mobile app. An enrollment code for the app is provided through the owner’s portal or the Kia Access App after the EV6 owner enrolls into Kia Connect, the brand’s robust in-car telematics system.
The all-new Kia EV6 has been recently named the 2022 Car of the Year in the prestigious European Car of the Year (COTY) awards. The innovative all-electric crossover was voted the overall winner by a 61-strong jury consisting of highly respected motoring journalists from 23 European countries.
The Kia EV6 was initially listed for consideration for the top award alongside over sixty models that launched during 2021. In November, the COTY jury whittled this longlist down to a seven-strong shortlist, six of which were electric vehicles (EVs), further demonstrating the growing importance of electric vehicles to consumers as society transitions towards a new mobility future.