The Kia electric car is one of the fastest charging in the market, but unfortunately, cold weather is a great foe of battery EVs which affects the battery performance. Therefore, the Kia EV6 was limited to 70kw in cold weather.
There is excellent news for EV6 2022 owners when the battery preheats before charging; you will get a much better-charging speed in winter.
Kia has released a software update that addresses this issue and brings it closer to a 10-80% charge time in 18 minutes. According to the manufacturer, owners should experience up to a 50% performance boost with fast DC charging in winter.
This software update primarily affects the navigation system. Drivers can automatically activate battery preconditioning before arriving at a terminal by simply entering a fast charger (DC) as a destination for directions.
The system considers the temperature below 21 degrees and the charge level above 24% or higher. The conditioning disables when the battery reaches its peak operating temperature.
The EV6 has won numerous awards and accolades for its spectacular super fast charging, said Alexandre Papapetropoulos at Kia Europe. We always look for ways to improve our products, and the new battery upgrade will allow customers to benefit from faster cold-weather charging times, which is helpful when charging drops.
This invention indicates our commitment to maximizing ease of ownership for every customer. Also, this new feature allows drivers to spend less time charging and more time enjoying the ride.
The Kia battery conditioning feature is standard on its 2023 EV6 models. However, the 2022 EV6 model does not have this feature. If you own a Kia EV6 model, you do not have to worry about this year’s winter; the battery conditioning software update covers you. Also, a great plus for those purchasing the 2023 EV6 models.
Those looking to upgrade their car with the new battery conditioning software update should visit their local Kia dealership, where a trained technician updates the car’s software.