Kia Niro EV Long-Term Review, Part 12: All About Nozzles

Auto123 puts the Kia Niro EV to the long-term test. Today, part 12.

Today I want to talk about charging connectors. Charging nozzles, some folks call them. Charging guns, some other folks call them. Not the lethal weapon kind, of course, but rather the sort that gives life to your EV’s battery pack. The sort you see hanging from the side of every public charging station, or maybe lying on the ground if the previous user was a slob.

The Cable Guy
Every Niro EV comes with a charging cable of about 12 feet in length. At one end, you have the three-pin plug that goes into your home outlet; at the other end, you have the charging connector, or nozzle, or gun. Between the two, you have a box, which is an adaptor the cable runs through, and which regulates the voltage of the electricity.

For months now, I have been plugging the tip of the connector into the socket on the front of the vehicle. A simple push of the fingers and the door opens. The nozzle is protected by a cap. Remove it and stick the connector in the nose of the Kia.

It’s best not to be shaking when you do this, or have had a few drinks. Because the tip engages as long as you align it perfectly; the slightest wrong angle and it won’t work. Fortunately, the cover of the plug is equipped with a light, very practical when you’re connecting your EV at night.

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