In the excitement of purchasing a new vehicle, shoppers might not consider the reality of needing to charge an electric-powered vehicle, and just how long that would actually take.
Not to mention availability of commercial charging and the speed of charging in one’s own home.
One content creator—self-identified as a Cybertruck influencer—is warning viewers on TikTok against purchasing EVs from other manufacturers because of the inconvenience of charging them.
In a video that has drawn over 429,000 views on TikTok, Jeremy Judkins (@jeremyjudkins2) is sharing his experience attempting to charge a Kia EV using publicly available charging stations—and it did not go well.
“Unless you’re buying a Tesla, I cannot recommend buying an electric vehicle,” he says in the video. “I am charging the Kia EV 6 at Electrify America and this is honestly the worst experience I’ve ever had with anything in my entire life.”
Judkins says his attempts to charge the Kia at Electrify America were less than ideal. “First, I plug it in, the machine doesn’t even work at all. The screen is blank,” he says. “It’s not charging, it won’t take my payment. I press buttons, it won’t reset. I’m kind of stuck. Luckily, the vehicle next to us moved because they were in the only other 350 KW charging spot, and now I have to lug this giant cable which is much bigger than the Tesla Supercharger cable.”
He goes on to say that other EVs, for example the Chevrolet Bolt he named in the video, charge at much slower rates because they use different kinds of batteries at a variety of wattages. Judkins suggests it may be worthwhile to have an electrician install a higher wattage outlet in the home if you are trying to charge any EV.
But when it comes down to it, between ease of charging and the size of the charger plug, he recommends choosing a Tesla over other EVs.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Electrify America, Kia, Tesla, and Judkins via email regarding the video.
How long does it take to charge a Kia EV 8 over a Tesla?
Per Kia, using a standard wall outlet can fully charge an EV6 in a lengthy 68 hours. Some EV owners depend on wall outlets, but most have access to faster, specialized Level 2 chargers at home or in their community.
On a Level 2 AC charger, an EV6 can fully recharge in anywhere from around eight to 10 hours, which many EV drivers do overnight.
On some public DC fast chargers such as the Electrify America station in Judkins’ video (provided it’s working, of course) an EV6 can go from a 10% charge to 80% in around 18 minutes. That should add around 200 miles of range, making it one of the better-performing EVs out there.
Tesla has the advantage with how ubiquitous its charging network is. A Tesla Model Y’s charging performance is similar to the EV6: About three or four days to full on a Level 1 plug, or eight to 12 hours on a home or public Level 2 charger. At the newest public DC Tesla Superchargers, a Model Y can go from low to 80% in 15 to 20 minutes, or 40 minutes on some older Superchagers, per Kelley Blue Book.
How much does it cost to have higher powered chargers installed at home?
Homeowners interested in purchasing a more powerful charging station to install in their home may be looking at a cost of $1,000 to $2,000 to make such an investment, depending on the make and manufacture of both their vehicle and the selected charger.
Some viewers suggested that the issues experienced by Judkins had more to do with the charging station he chose, rather than the make and model of the electric vehicle he attempted to charge there.
“I feel like these ev chargers should be regulated like gas pumps where they have to be certified for use or be pulled for service and fined for non-compliance,” one commenter wrote.
“It sounds like you’re arguing against electrify America as opposed to other EVs so why you’re saying only get a Tesla seems sus,” another said.
“(Screen of the charging station doesn’t work) ‘oh yeah it’s the cars fault,’” a third eye-rolled.
@jeremyjudkins2 Do not buy an electric vehicle UNLESS it is a Tesla. #tesla #teslasupercharger #electricvehicle #kiaev6 #chevybolt ♬ original sound – Jeremy Judkins | Tesla Videos
Others commented that they had great success pairing their non-Tesla EVs with the brand’s Superchargers, eliminating the issue highlighted by Judkins.
“Took my Rivian R1T on a beach trip and the Tesla Supercharger adapter/stations has been a godsend,” one commenter wrote.
“Well I had a Tesla and I said if I get a Mustang mach e I need Charge it at Tesla supercharger so I bought the Mustang and now I have nothing but great experience charging at Tesla super charger,” another claimed.
“Love my Ford Lightning and exclusively use Tesla superchargers when traveling,” a third added.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated for context and clarity pertaining to how long it takes to charge a Kia EV.
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