Driving an Electric Car in Korea
I finally got my Korean driver’s license no too long ago, and so naturally I went about buying a car. I did a lot of research on makes and models and I already had a pretty good idea of what I wanted. I’ve only ever really wanted to own one specific type of car - a Kia Soul.
When the first Kia Soul hamster commercials came out, I was immediately drawn to the car and I’ve always liked the design of it and it’s size. I turned to Youtube reviews of the car, articles on car websites about safety, features, etc. and found out that since 2014, the Kia Soul has been produced as an electric car. I was interested in getting an electric car, and knowing that the exact kind of car I wanted was available in EV made it more appealing.
The main reason I needed a car was that I needed a reliable way to get around with my son in tow. We bought a car seat before he was born, but my husband’s car is usually full of things he needs for work, so we always had to take the car seat out when we weren’t using it. That was a huge hassle and now that he’s a toddler, I didn’t want to have to carry the car seat, install it, take it back out, etc. while also making sure he was safe. We live in a big apartment complex with underground parking and tons of cars, and safety and the ease of getting in the car and going somewhere are important.
Because of the pandemic, I never really took him anywhere alone. I’d wait for my husband to be free on the weekends to take us somewhere, but that didn’t happen too often. It became really difficult to not always have access to a car with a car seat if I had to take him to the hospital or if I wanted to go to the park with him, etc. And I had to rely on the bus or taxis to get around, and while that’s usually pretty easy, not everywhere is accessible by bus or subway.
Since late last year, most of Korea has been vaccinated and a lot of restrictions are loosened, and the weather is nicer and I really wanted a way to take my son to the park, museums, etc. and I also wanted a way to get around myself while he’s in daycare and I have free time. I got really tired of asking friends for rides and it was embarrassing as someone who drove so frequently since the age of 15 to say that I couldn’t drive in Korea.
My husband agreed to help me look for a car after I got my license, and one of his good friends is a used car dealer, so we went to him for help. I specified that I wanted a Kia Soul EV and eventually he showed us some online listings of them. Originally, I was hoping to get a cool paint job like the white and electric blue option some years came in. But it took a while to find anything other than white. One of my main priorities was a car that had not been owned by a smoker, since that’s kind of common in Korea. Once we narrowed down all my preferences and opted not to car too much about the color, my husband’s friend found me a 2018 white Kia Soul EV.
Our apartment is fitted with multiple different EV charging stations, and one is close to where my husband usually parks. We went up to the machines one day and noted they were by a company called ChargEV and my husband said that in Korea, you usually have to apply for a card to use when charging your car and it gives you discounts and is easier to use than a credit card.
My car arrived one afternoon and I was elated! I got in it and drove it around the parking garage a little, but I didn’t have insurance on it or the paperwork yet, and it wasn’t fully charged. I also needed to register the car with the main office so that I could be let into the building. In Korea, most parking places scan your license plate, and with an unregistered car, it was a hassle getting back into my building (for good security reasons!). I was also nervous about driving and parking in Korea in general. I drove with my husband in the car the first few times after I got my license, but I wasn’t totally used to the roads or rules yet.
At first, it was tricky figuring out how to charge my car, but once I understood what to do, it was easy. I also got the card in the mail that works on our charging machines and it’s a breeze to use now. Charging my car usually costs less than $10 (₩10,000) and I don’t have to go to gas stations anymore! I also see a lot of electric cars nowadays, as well as hybrids. Parking spaces fill up fast, but EV charging spaces are becoming more common, and are usually more empty than normal spots.
My car can go for about 180km (111 miles) and I usually go on 5-6 short outings before I even think about needing to charge it. It’s so great having a way to keep our son’s carseat in the car at all times, and it’s so much easier taking him places now that it’s always there and installed. I am really kicking myself for not getting my license sooner and I am shocked when I think back to before I had a car and needed to take my son places.
My husband is also ecstatic because I mostly drive us places on the weekends, and it saves him having to concentrate on driving (which he does for hours every day) and lets him enjoy his weekends more. I drive to the movies in the mornings pretty often after I drop my son off at daycare. Parking is still intimidating and stressful - I’m not confident enough to park illegally like so many Korean people do, and paid parking garages fill up fast and backing into spots is still tricky sometimes. But I prefer how Korea has most of its parking underground compared to the ugly and unnecessary sprawling parking lots that I was used to in the US.
I’m really happy with my Kia Soul EV and I’m glad I have an electric car now when gas prices are up. For me and my needs, an electric car was a great choice. I’ve yet to attempt any long distance driving with it, but I hear Korea is trying to expand it’s accessibility with charging stations, so we’ll see how it goes when I do.
