Kia EV6 vs Tesla Model Y: charging compared
Charging curves overlaid, time-to-charge at every common UK charger speed, and per-network cost — modelled on each car's actual charging behaviour.
At a 150kW UK rapid (10% → 80%): the Kia EV6 finishes in 22m, around 2 minutes ahead of the TeslaModel Y at 24m.
The Tesla Model Y and Kia EV6 are two of the UK's most cross-shopped electric SUVs, but they charge in fundamentally different ways. The Tesla peaks at 250kW on a Supercharger and holds that peak well across the first half of the SOC range; the Kia's 800V architecture lets it sustain over 200kW for longer, so at an ultra-rapid charger it completes a 10-80% top-up in similar or slightly shorter real time despite a lower headline peak.
The architectural gap matters most at 350kW chargers. The Model Y is hard-capped at 250kW by its 400V platform, so an IONITY 350kW unit gives it no benefit over a 250kW Supercharger. The EV6's 800V system can pull close to 240kW for a meaningful chunk of the curve, which is why owners of E-GMP cars actively seek out 350kW sites on long journeys.
At the more common 150kW UK charger, the difference narrows: both cars become charger-limited rather than car-limited for most of the session. At home both charge at 11kW AC, so a full 0-100% overnight session costs the same on any time-of-use tariff. Cost per mile on a typical PAYG rapid network is within 1-2p of each other.
Buy the Model Y if Supercharger access matters and you want the simpler ownership experience; buy the EV6 if you regularly do long motorway journeys and want every minute the 800V architecture saves.
Charging behaviour
- Kia EV6
- Tesla Model Y
Time to charge by charger speed
SOC range 15% → 80%. Cells softer where the charger speed exceeds the car's peak DC — higher chargers deliver the same time.
| Car | 7kW | 22kW | 50kW | 100kW | 150kW | 250kW | 350kW | 400kW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kia EV6 | 6h 52m avg 7kW | 4h 22m avg 11kW | 58m avg 50kW | 29m avg 99kW | 21m avg 138kW | 17m avg 170kW | 17m avg 170kW | 17m avg 170kW |
| Tesla Model Y | 6h 58m avg 7kW | 4h 26m avg 11kW | 58m avg 50kW | 30m avg 98kW | 22m avg 132kW | 19m avg 157kW | 19m avg 157kW | 19m avg 157kW |
Public network cost
15% → 80% session at PAYG rates, cheapest 5 rapid networks.
| Network | EV6 | Model Y |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla Supercharger 58.0p/kWh | £27.90 | £28.27 |
| Pod Point 62.0p/kWh | £29.82 | £30.23 |
| Believ 66.0p/kWh | £31.75 | £32.17 |
| SWARCO eVolt 75.0p/kWh | £36.08 | £36.56 |
| Allego 78.0p/kWh | £37.52 | £38.02 |
Home charging cost
Full 0% → 100% on each common UK tariff, cheapest rate slot.
| Tariff | EV6 | Model Y |
|---|---|---|
| British Gas Electric Driver 9.5p/kWh (Off-peak) | £7.03 | £7.13 |
| EDF GoElectric Overnight 9.0p/kWh (Off-peak) | £6.66 | £6.75 |
| E.ON Next Drive 6.7p/kWh (Off-peak) | £4.96 | £5.03 |
| Intelligent Octopus Go 6.9p/kWh (Off-peak) | £5.11 | £5.17 |
| Octopus Go 8.5p/kWh (Off-peak) | £6.29 | £6.38 |
| OVO Charge Anytime 7.0p/kWh (EV charging slot) | £5.18 | £5.25 |
| Standard Variable Price Cap 27.8p/kWh (Standard) | £20.57 | £20.85 |
Cost per mile
Real-world Wh/mile efficiency × representative tariffs.
| Scenario | EV6 | Model Y |
|---|---|---|
| Home smart off-peak | 1.9p/mile | 2.0p/mile |
| Tesla Supercharger | 16.2p/mile | 17.1p/mile |
| BP Pulse PAYG | 24.9p/mile | 26.3p/mile |
Considering any of these cars?
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Common questions
Is the Kia EV6 actually faster to charge than the Tesla Model Y?
On a 350kW charger, yes — the EV6's 800V architecture sustains higher power for longer. On 150kW chargers (more common in the UK), the cars are within a few minutes of each other because the charger is the bottleneck.
Does Tesla's Supercharger network give the Model Y a charging advantage?
Reliability and ease of use, yes — Supercharger uptime is industry-leading and the in-car experience is seamless. Raw speed, no — Superchargers cap at 250kW (V3) and 320kW (V4 cabinets, not yet widely deployed in the UK), which the Model Y can use; CCS networks now run faster cabinets than that.
Which is cheaper to charge at home?
Identical at the same tariff. Both cars take 11kW AC, both batteries are similar in usable kWh, so a full 0-100% overnight charge costs the same — typically £5-£6 on Intelligent Octopus Go.