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InsideEVs
InsideEVs
Technology
Mark Kane

Is The Kia EV6 Charging Port Location Flawed?

The Kia EV6 is one of the most anticipated new electric car models on the market, but despite all its advantages, it's not perfect.

During detailed testing of the car, Bjørn Nyland found that the location of the charging port is not optimal, because - as we can see in the video (4:53-5:40) - the charging flap is within the rear area that gets the dirtiest.

See also other Bjørn Nyland's tests of the Kia EV6 here: Winter range test, 1,000 km challenge, banana box test.

It's common that in vehicles with a similar rear shape, the rear becomes dirty quickly.

This issue will be a recurring one, especially in wet or during winter, but even in the summer, this part might be covered with a layer of dust.

EV manufacturers are free to place the charging port wherever they want, but the rear area is a rare choice. We guess that the EV6 is a bit over-designed and the design won over practicality.

Thankfully, the charging flap is motorized, so the user can open it from inside (if he/she remembers) and close it using a button.

However, the cap that covers the high-power DC charging pins must be placed carefully or it will also get dirty and the problem will spread to the inside of the charging port.

In the case of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 (another new, E-GMP-based EV), the charging power is located on the side, which appears to be a much better decision. Also, the charging flap will probably be less prone to damage.

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 charging
2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 charging

Tesla also uses a similar location for the charging port (just on the opposite side driver's side). Some manufacturers place charging ports behind the front wheel on the driver's side or in the front, while other options are less popular.

Gallery: Kia EV6

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