Kia Motors America Joins Charging Alliance for Expanded EV Infrastructure

In this episode of The Inevitable, the Motor Trend team is joined by Steph Kowski, the national manager of long-range strategy and planning for Kia Motors America. Now, this bloke is no ordinary Joe. He spends his days pondering the future of mobility and electrified vehicles. He's the guy who knows what you'll be driving in 2030. Impressive, isn't it?

But let's get to the juicy bits. Kowski spills the beans about the new charging alliance that Kia is a part of. It's a joint venture between Honda, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Kia, and Stellantis. Their mission? To install a whopping 30,000 ultra-high-speed DC chargers across the country by 2030. That's a bold move, considering Tesla's Supercharger network currently stands at 20,000 chargers. But these new chargers will be even faster, delivering a minimum of 350 kilowatts. That's lightning-fast, my friends.

Now, you might be wondering why it took so long for this alliance to come together. Kowski explains that building and maintaining a charging network is a costly affair. We're talking trillions of dollars here. And let's not forget the little matter of return on investment. But here's the kicker: Tesla, that cheeky disruptor, saw the value in investing in their own charging infrastructure from the get-go. They knew it would give them a leg up in the game. And boy, were they right.

But it's not all about Tesla. Kowski raises an interesting point about the need to increase adoption among women. Currently, the majority of EV buyers are men. And one of the reasons for this is the perceived lack of safety and security at public charging stations. It's a valid concern, especially for women who may be charging their cars late at night. So, while we're all excited about the future of electric vehicles, it's crucial that we address these issues and make charging more accessible and secure for everyone.

In a nutshell, Kowski's insights shed light on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the electrified future. The joint venture charging alliance is a bold move by Kia and its partners to ramp up charging infrastructure and keep up with the likes of Tesla. It's a costly endeavor, but one that's essential for the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. And let's not forget the importance of addressing safety and security concerns, particularly for women, to ensure that everyone can embrace the electric revolution with confidence.

Watch Kia's Steve Kosowski on the Charging Alliance, EV6 GT, EV9 SUV, & Future Outlook of the EV Market on Youtube

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