- Kia’s first EVs with a Tesla-style charging port are getting a nice charging-related upgrade soon.
- Owners of eligible 2025 Kia EV6 and 2026 Kia EV9 models will be able to just plug in a DC fast charger without having to mess with apps or cards every time.
- That’s thanks to the implementation of Plug & Charge, which allows for a seamless charging experience, as long as a payment method has been set up properly beforehand.
Owners of the 2025 Kia EV6 and 2026 Kia EV9 will soon be able to seamlessly charge at compatible DC fast chargers without having to mess around with apps or cards every time. That’s because the two EVs are on track to get a feature called Plug & Charge by the end of the year.
As long as there is a payment method set up in Kia’s Charge Pass system, owners of eligible EVs will be able to simply pull up to a compatible charger, plug in, charge and then disconnect without having to worry about billing. The vehicle authentication and billing happen automatically, making for a more relaxing charging experience.
The 2025 Kia EV6 and 2026 Kia EV9 come with a Tesla-style NACS charging port from the factory.
Photo by: InsideEVs
The Tesla Supercharger network and Electrify America are among the charging operators that support Plug & Charge. The 2025 Kia EV6 and 2026 Kia EV9 are the Korean automaker’s first models with a native Tesla-style NACS charging port, which eliminates the need for a charging adapter at Tesla Superchargers and certain Electrify America stalls that are equipped with NACS connectors.
That said, most non-Tesla DC fast chargers in the United States have CCS1 connectors, which means that owners of the two Kia EVs that are compatible with Plug & Charge will need an adapter to fill up at these stations.
According to Kia, Plug & Charge will be added to the 2025 EV6 by the end of September, while 2026 EV9 owners will get the feature by the end of the year. The company said it will update the owners when the feature becomes available, along with instructions on how to use it.
“With Plug & Charge, we’re making the EV experience more user-friendly than ever,” said Sujith Somasekharan, Connected Car & Mobility Director, Kia America. “Our goal is to make electrified mobility effortless, secure, and connected – and this technology brings us one step closer to that reality.”
The feature has long been active for Tesla owners who use Superchargers, but it’s now slowly being added to more and more non-Tesla EVs. Plug & Charge works for Rivian EVs at Tesla Superchargers and Ionna’s Rechargeries, for instance. The Volkswagen ID.4, meanwhile, can plug and charge at Electrify America stalls.
