Kia to run a ‘pick up and charge’ service for EV users

Kia, the carmaker affiliated with Hyundai Motor Group, will run a pilot “pick up and charge” program for the convenience of electric vehicle users, officials said Thursday.

“We have come up with an on-demand pick up and charge system in order to reduce any inconvenience that all-electric vehicle drivers may face in everyday life,” the company said in a release.

To go with the service, which will be available 24 hours a day in most parts of the country, the company has also launched eON, an exclusive mobile application.

Users may designate the date, time and location of the pickup, as well as the drop-off point, at least three hours prior to the desired pickup time.

Once the application is registered and confirmed, an employee will pick up the car, drive it to a nearby charging station and return it to the designated spot.

Customers can monitor the real-time location of the car, the progress of charging and the contact information of the Kia employee.

The eON app is to be available for Android users during the pilot service period and will expanded to iOS users after the official launch of the service.

“During this pilot period, we shall analyze customer demands and collect operational data, so that we may improve the service quality and move on to official launch within the year,” officials said.

Also, after the official launch, car owners can hand over the car using the digital key function, without having to be present.

Marking the launch of the program, Kia will hold a customer event and offer coupons for free service to 750 people who download the eON app and register for the service, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Details of the program and the promotional event may be found at Kia’s website (www.kia.com) or via the eON app, officials said.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)