When Hyundai and Kia’s new EVs launch, they’ll have some extra help finding an available charger when the juice runs low.
EVgo, operator of the largest EV charging network in the US, announced Tuesday that it has finalized a multi-year contract with Hyundai and Kia. The partnership will put EVgo’s list of networked chargers directly into the infotainment systems of the Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia Niro EV.
Ordinarily, folks would have to download EVgo’s app to catch a glance of all the available chargers, but with this partnership, it’s all done inside the car. Users will be able to take a look at all nearby EVgo chargers, as well as whether or not they’re currently available. Then, the navigation system can set a route directly to that charger. The only catch is that owners need to sign up for each automaker’s connected services, whether it’s UVO for Kia or Blue Link for Hyundai.
While charging speeds have improved, EVgo wants them to be even more powerful. The company is currently working to install 150-kW and 350-kW chargers around the country. While no vehicle is yet capable of accepting a 350-kW charge, the next generation of EVs should be. 150 kW is right about on par with Tesla’s Supercharger system, but again, owners need a vehicle capable of accepting charge that quickly in order to reap the benefits.
Hyundai and Kia’s electric siblings are quite promising. The Kona Electric builds on an already excellent vehicle by adding a 201-horsepower electric motor and a battery that allows for 258 miles of range per full charge. The Kia Niro EV’s range is a bit lower at 239 miles, but that’s still a whole boatload of charge for an EV that isn’t asking Tesla prices.