Why Is My Kia EV Charging So Slowly?

June 15, 2024

27 2 minutes read

A woman buys an electric car from Kia with a 30% charge. She plugs it in at home, but is shocked to learn how long it’ll take to get it to 100%.

TikTok user @everythingsux._ posted a video on June 4 from her driveway at home. “So I got a new car, electric,” she says. “I’m charging it at my house right now. It’s my first time charging it; the battery was at 30%. Do you know how long it’s going to take for it to be fully charged? Seventy-three hours! I’m gonna be here forever.”

In the caption, she writes, “50% is perfectly fine right? Right?” Her hashtags indicate that it is a Kia Niro EV. According to Kia, the time it takes to charge an electric vehicle depends on the power source it is plugged into. “Depending on the particular charging mode, the average time it takes to charge your EV’s battery can range from ‘within the hour’ fast to ‘overnight’ slow,” says Kia.

Why is her Kia EV charging so slowly then?

The manner in which she’s charging is likely the problem. “The majority of home charging points provide this slow charging rate of 3 to 7 kW,” Kia says. “Depending on the battery technology in the EV, it generally takes 8 to 24 hours to completely charge a battery (ideal for overnight home charging).” But you can also use fast charging ports at some workplaces and public charging points. They are faster at 11 to 22 kW.

But the charging time even at home shouldn’t be as long as 73 hours. The Kia website suggests a household charge should take anywhere from 6.5 to 9.5 hours. @everythingsux._ is probably missing a 220-volt plug, which is what big appliances like washer/dryers plug into.

The video has amassed 1.2 million views as of Friday. In the comments, a few users offered helpful advice, but most simply roasted the new EV owner.

“You need to get a level 2 charger installed,” one user suggested.

“did you plug it into one of those little white blocks that came with the iPhone?” quipped another user.

“First mistake , buying a Kia . 2nd mistake, buying an electric Kia,” a third user wrote.

Another person said, “That’s perfectly normal. Once it tops up it won’t take as long after driving around a little. But most EV owners get a 220 outlet installed so it’s quicker.”