Kia Steps Up EV Training Efforts

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

• Overcharging the battery: EV drivers who overcharge their automobile’s batteries can scale back their battery life and harm the automobile’s electrical methods. So, it’s a good suggestion to cost to 75-90% when potential.
• Operating out of battery: New EV drivers might 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 laptop could be influenced by a number of elements, akin to driving habits, climate, and terrain. Relying solely on these estimates can result in operating out unexpectedly.
• Not planning their routes: In contrast to petrol-powered automobiles, it isn’t at all times straightforward 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 velocity have to be thought-about in route planning (often by software program) to keep away from issues.
• Utilizing inefficient charging stations: Not all charging stations are the identical. Utilizing a Degree 2 charging station on a highway journey can decelerate the charging course of and end in pointless delays. Some EV infotainment methods aren’t programmed to ship you to the quickest charging stations.

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

Occasion-Based mostly Training

A technique 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 Could 19, the tour will kick off in Lengthy Seashore, California, the place attendees can check 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 modern electrical automobiles at 5 Electrify Expo 2023 occasions in Lengthy Seashore, San Francisco, New York, Seattle, and Miami.

“Electrify Expo is the premiere gathering for prime firms 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 the perfect path ahead and form the way forward for the automotive business.”

Business leaders and attendees alike will converge to debate essential matters related to the electrical automobile business. Attendees can count on to dive into legislative considerations surrounding EVs, akin 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 method Kia has stepped up on training is its new EV Training 101 video collection. The collection breaks down frequent EV possession matters, like charging infrastructure, know-how, vary, maximizing battery life, terminology, and even planning highway journeys. Kia’s purpose is to make EV possession a straightforward, stress-free and pleasing expertise for all.

Let’s check out the collection!

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 trustworthy right here, so individuals will know what they’re entering into.

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

In one other video, they get into the fundamentals of charging. They begin with the degrees of EV charging, they usually classify them in line with the SAE system (Degree 1, Degree 2, and DCFC). They get into the significance of setting charging occasions, and the significance of planning forward. They point out that you simply may 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.

One factor I wished to ensure they coated was among the EV charging etiquette at public stations. After explaining the way to discover stations and be prepared to make use of them, they received into the way to begin a cost session, however they didn’t clarify necessary issues like selecting an acceptable stall or not charging absolutely to 100% except you really want to take action.

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

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

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

Featured picture supplied by Kia.