Kia India has introduced "K-Charge," an innovative feature in the 'MyKia' app that facilitates users in discovering over 1000 EV charging stations across the country. This initiative is not exclusive to Kia customers and extends its benefits to non-Kia users, aiming to alleviate Range Anxiety for EV owners. The move underscores Kia's commitment to enhancing customer services by consolidating various functions into a single, user-friendly smartphone app.
In collaboration with five charging point operators (CPOs) — Statiq, ChargeZone, Relux Electric, Lion Charge, and E-Fill — Kia India has enabled this initiative. Additionally, Kia has partnered with Relux Electric to provide its customers with three months of free charging through their charging stations. These CPOs are recognised leaders in the EV charging industry, offering extensive networks, global best practices, and adherence to safety protocols. The integration of these CPOs into the 'MyKia' app is facilitated by NumoCity Technologies, a leading provider of CMS services.
The new features introduced in K-Charge provide additional convenience to EV users by integrating technology more deeply, enabling them to access a wide range of EV services seamlessly through the 'MyKia' app. Users can now view and locate charging stations using an interactive map from the Indian map service provider, Map My India. Through K-Charge, customers can check the availability of charging slots, find a station based on their preferences, and make payments using the wallet service within the app. These user-friendly functionalities aim to simplify the EV charging process and eliminate the need for multiple external applications, aligning with Kia's vision of leveraging technology to enhance the vehicle ownership experience.
Hardeep Singh Brar, National Head of Sales and Marketing – Kia India, said, "K-Charge is not just a convenience initiative for our customers but a step towards making sustainable mobility convenient and accessible for everyone. We strongly believe that the technology transition towards a complete EV future ought to be smooth, and the K-Charge, integrated into the 'MyKia' app, is a well-thought-out step in that direction. With this aim, we will continue our efforts towards expanding the charging network through the onboarding of new CPOs in the future. We are confident that seamless, user-friendly solutions like these will play a pivotal role in accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles in India."
Through its newly introduced vision, 'EV for All', which includes the K-Charge initiative, Kia aims to achieve an annual sales target of one million EVs by 2026. Furthermore, the company plans to expand this figure to 1.6 million units annually by 2030, with the launch of various long-range Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs).