Kia Creates Kia Charge Package to Offer V2H Technology and Services
The Kia Corp has been busy over the last year (2023). Releasing new battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and concepts, like the Kia EV6, EV9, and the EV5, EV4, and EV3 concepts, Kia is making good on its Plan S Strategy to become a leader in BEV sales in the auto industry. The next move is to integrate BEVs and homes by developing a solar-powered home with a BEV as its core. Called the Kia Charge package, it all begins with the Kia Netherlands.
When we say “Kia Charge”, this is a term Europe used as an umbrella term for anything the automaker was working on that dealt with BEVs and BEV charging solutions. Any developments, whether about the new Kia EV4 and EV3 concepts, or making BEVs more accessible, now able to charge Kia BEVs on the Tesla Supercharger Network, were included. With a wide range of innovative services and technologies, Kia is now creating a “Kia Charge Package” to design technology that allows cars to connect to a consumer’s home, and not just for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging solutions. Soon, vehicle-to-home (V2H) will be the next thing to keep consumers connected, and make it much easier to personalize a consumer’s cabin interior into an extension of their digital living space.
Overseas, Kia Netherlands is launching a pilot project to develop homes utilized with solar panels and SmartCharging (V1G to upcoming V2G/V2H) that can make charging at home much easier. It may be an afterthought, but every city, and even the suburbs, are powered by energy grids, deep underground, to send electricity into our homes, to power our appliances, and – for consumers who have fully adopted the BEV-life – at-home level 2 charging stations. All of these things tax the energy grid now and then, and too much stress can lead to blackouts in some places. Partnering with an international energy supplier and a world-leading mobility provider focused on finding solutions to the major challenges of grid congestion, Kia Netherlands works with Vattenfall, Jedlix, and other partners to bring consumers services to power their homes in a new way.
In cooperation with Kia’s R&D center in South Korea and Kia Connect in Frankfurt, Germany, the Kia Charge package can expand thanks to these new partners and the national infrastructure. Just like changing the city infrastructure to be more BEV-friendly, a home’s infrastructure would need some changes for V2G and V2H technology. This includes Solar Panels, Energy by Vattenfall, and Smart Charging to create a home that can power a BEV itself without needing to plug into the grid. This concept has been discussed by other automakers at different auto shows over the years. By creating a home that can have its own battery, charged by solar energy, the house can power devices and appliances, and even be used to charge a BEV in the garage or driveway without needing to plug into the grid.
The EV9 is set to be the first model to be a candidate for this pilot program, but the recently unveiled EV3 Concept, EV4 Concept, and EV5 will soon find a way into the design. In the end, it’s all about improving the daily charging experience and relieving grid congestion, but it also benefits the consumer. These new products and services give consumers more control over their energy use. The installation of solar panels will give users the ability to generate their own energy and save on energy costs through smart charging. The latter is included in the new Kia Charge app that can inform consumers of cheaper charging during off-peak hours when connecting to the grid.
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