New to EVs and looking for advice…

So I’m planning to buy an EV in a few months and thought I’d ask for some advice on this forum. I’m leaning towards the 2025 facelift EV6, 225 bhp Earth RWD.

Here’s some info about me:

  • I live in eastern EU (Hungary).

  • All my past cars have been manuals, and while I think I can figure out how to drive an automatic, I’ve never actually tried one, especially an EV. We’ll probably keep our current ICE car as a backup for a while.

  • My office has an L2 charger I can use for free, so I’m not planning to install one at home for now (though I’m open to being convinced otherwise).

  • I mostly drive in the city or surrounding areas, and about once a month, we drive to the capital (around 200 km/120 mi). Long trips are rare. The highway speed limit is 130 kph (80 mph).

  • Winters are pretty mild, with average temperatures around or above 0°C, but it can get icy in January and February.

A few questions I have:

  • Is a heat pump worth it? I’ve heard mixed opinions on this. My coworker, who drives an Audi Q4 e-tron, told me he gets about 20% less range in the winter, but since we don’t go on long trips often, I’m unsure whether we need it.

  • How should I approach regenerative braking? Coming from a manual, I think lower regen settings are better for highways where I don’t want to brake too hard by mistake (I’ll probably use cruise control on highways, but my wife doesn’t want to use it), and higher regen is better for slower traffic or stop-and-go situations. Does this sound right?

  • I believe the facelift uses NACS, and most non-Tesla charging stations are CCS2. Does the car come with an adapter, or will I need to buy one?

  • Are there any must-have options I should consider?

Any other advice would be much appreciated. Thanks everyone.

Charging: start with a basic level 1 charger, the same kind you’d use for a small appliance. In most of Europe, 220-240v should be fine for you.

Gears: just treat it like one amazing gear called ‘go.’ You press the pedal, and the car goes.

A heat pump is great in colder weather, helping save energy. It’s surprising that some models don’t come with it.

Regenerative braking: I keep mine on level 1. It feels like the car slows down just a little faster than usual.

Charging: whatever standard charger you get, there’s probably an adapter for your needs. It’s a small cost, but it can vary depending on the region.

@Blaire

I keep mine on level 1. It feels like the car slows down just a little faster than usual.

Have you ever tried Auto Regen?

Kavi said:
@Blaire
I keep mine on level 1. It feels like the car slows down just a little faster than usual.

Have you ever tried Auto Regen?

Yeah, I didn’t like it.

I prefer driving more conservatively and avoid frequent stops or speed changes. For example, when approaching a red light, I just slow down a bit and end up arriving when it’s green. That saves more energy than constantly stopping and starting. Level 1 works well for this style. Auto regen makes the braking too intense for my liking.

@Blaire

Auto regen makes the braking too intense for my liking.

That’s only if there’s someone in front of you. It’s the same as regular braking when there’s no regen at all. Did you know there are four levels of auto regen? Level 1 auto regen doesn’t apply any regen if you’re on level ground and no one’s in front of you. But it links regen to the brake pedal. It’s quite nice.

About the charging plugs: NACS stands for ‘North American Charging Standard.’ All Teslas in Europe use CCS2, and the EV6 facelift for the European market will also use CCS2. The NACS vs. CCS discussion doesn’t really apply here.

@Whitney
Got it, thanks for the info!

With regenerative braking, it feels a bit like driving a manual in a low gear. When you lift off the accelerator, the car slows down quickly. As someone who’s used to manual transmissions, I really like it. I’ve set my regen to level 3, and it feels great.

Definitely take one for a test drive. I think you’ll like it .

@Jody
Does the car remember your regen level, or do you have to set it every time you start the car?

Frost said:
@Jody
Does the car remember your regen level, or do you have to set it every time you start the car?

Yes, it remembers your regen level (except for the most aggressive ‘auto’ level). There are several levels, and they feel like different manual gears in terms of engine braking.

I thought the Kias heading to Europe were going to stick with CCS2.

OPD (one pedal driving) is actually quite intuitive. It sets the regen high, so when you let off the accelerator, the car decelerates and turns on the brake lights. It’s easy to get used to. In the US, the car starts at Level 3, with iPedal (Level 4) available if you select it. You can run on L3 and use the left paddle shifter to adjust to higher regen levels. It’s easy to learn, and you’ll get used to the instant torque.

You might want to consider negotiating the CCS to NACS adapter (for DCFC) when purchasing the vehicle. Also, I’d suggest getting a third-party J1772 (IEC62196 in Europe?) to NACS adapter for AC charging, as well as a portable EVSE. Just make sure they are from reputable third-party brands, like UL listed ones here in the US.

You’ll really enjoy the car. As for the heat pump, it helps with fast charging in the cold. Without it, you might be limited to 150 kWh. With it, you’ll get 230 kWh, which means it takes about 24 minutes to charge from 10% to 80%, compared to 18 minutes without it. I don’t think you’ll ‘need’ it, but it’s nice to have.

The EV6 has a single-speed, no shifting, and it’s quiet. Mine has regen braking paddles (left increases to level 5, right decreases to level 1). I find level 5 too strong and level 2 too weak.

Not sure about the heat pump. We get down to zero F, but if my range suffers, it’s not a big deal.

Anything on how to approach regenerative braking?

Kia has a great ‘Auto’ mode for regen. It adjusts the regen based on what’s in front of you. You can even change the baseline regen level in Auto mode. I set mine to level 1, so I get no regen when I’m coasting down the road without anyone ahead of me.