Plug&Charge is a fast, secure and convenient charging system that allows Kia customers to connect their EV with any Plug&Charge capable public charging station without the need for any additional identification or intermediate step to start the charging process, as authentification is fully automated.
“Plug&Charge is a very convenient technology that offers decreased manual handling, resulting in a faster, smoother process for our customers” said Sjoerd Knipping, Vice President of Marketing and Product at Kia Europe. “By offering our customers electric vehicles as well as the most advanced charging solutions, we’re smoothing the way for the switch to sustainable mobility, as well as proving ourselves to be serious contenders in the highly competitive EV market in Europe.”
Plug&Charge is essentially an identification method built directly into the vehicle that allows the car to communicate with Plug&Charge capable charging stations. The customer simply connects their vehicle with the charging station to automatically begin the charging process. The service has all bases covered in terms of security, as no additional steps are needed. Up to now, the customer first needed to verify their account at the charging point before initiating charging, which was usually done with either an RFID card or via mobile app like Kia Charge.
The fully secure Plug&Charge service utilises an automated exchange of digital certificates between car and charger, which identifies the customer’s account and associated charging contract with the driver’s Kia Charge account. The Hubject Plug&Charge ecosystem manages this exchange of certificates between Plug&Charge stakeholders: charging point operators (CPO), mobility operators (MO) and original equipment manufacturers (OEM). This communication conforms with the international standard ISO 15118.
Plug&Charge will simplify the charging process, without negating the benefits of the Kia Charge app: its navigation function, real-time updates on charging fees and availability; and the ability to apply filter options such as plug type, charging speed, and access type inform EV drivers of available public EV charging infrastructure at speed. The technology enables the customer to simply disconnect their car once charging is complete and drive away, while the payment will be added to their monthly bill in accordance with the terms of their contract.
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