Hyundai launched the Ioniq 5 electric crossover last week. The Ioniq 5 is based on the Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), which Hyundai will use for their first few vehicles. One of the most interesting features of this electric vehicle platform is that it allows a very high charging rate to the vehicles. According to Hyundai, owners can charge the Ioniq 5 from 5% to 80% in just 18 minutes.
Ioniq 5: An Overview
The Ioniq 5 is Hyundai’s first vehicle in the new electrification plan which they announced a few months ago. According to this plan, the South Korean manufacturer aims to launch up to 25 electric vehicles by 2025. The Ioniq subbrand will be responsible for the electric vehicle plan, and the Ioniq 5 is the first of many electric cars coming from Hyundai in the recent future.
One of the reasons for the claimed figures for the Ioniq 5’s charging is the high voltage. While Tesla uses a 400-volt system, European companies like Audi and Porsche use an 800-volt system in their electric vehicles. Hyundai has also implemented an 800-volt system in the Inoiq5. This not only improves the overall efficiency of the powertrain system but also helps to increase the charging rate.
Ioniq 5 Spotted Charging At 149 kW
A pre-production prototype of the Ioniq 5 was spotted recently at an IONITY charging station in Germany. A video of the same has surfaced now. At the beginning of the video, one can see a charging rate of 149 kW when the vehicle is already at 80%. That is an impressive figure, especially considering that the charging rate of most electric vehicles drops significantly after 75% or 80%.
During the 16-minute charging stop, the car used close to 42 kWh, which on an average means a charging rate of 157 kW. This is, of course, just an estimate, as the starting point and other details are unknown. But if we consider a 76.2 kWh battery pack (Ioniq 5’s biggest pack), it could be a 22% to 80% charging session.
Hyundai has announced two battery options for the Ioniq 5 – 58 kWh and 76.2 kWh. The system voltage is at 800 volts, while the charger voltage was approximately 750 volts at 80% SoC (state-of-charge). Moreover, they have also announced that the 18-minute mark will be achieved when using a 350 kW charger. Those are peak charging rates at optimal charging conditions (like battery temperature). On an average, this figure is expected to be 170 kW.
Interestingly enough, in the video, Generation-E has also mentioned that the charging rate at 96% SoC was 45 kW. This is quite an impressive figure, as the charging rate drops significantly as the state-of-charge approaches 100%. The peak charging rate at the beginning was 220 kW.
Our Opinion
Nowadays, there are many factors that dictate an electric car’s popularity among the public. Even with newer features such as driving autonomy coming into the picture, charging time and vehicle range remain the most vital factors. The charging rate figures of the Ioniq 5 seem quite impressive, but we will have to judge it in different situations and conditions. Even so, the first impression is quite good.
A range of little less than 300 miles (480 km) isn’t really bad. Of course, Tesla has a higher range in the Model Y. But the Ioniq 5 will give tough competition to Volkswagen ID.4 and Ford Mustang Mach E. And apart from range, it also offers a spacious interior owing to the superior wheelbase. All in all, Hyundai is sure to make a few waves in the electric crossover segment when it hits the market.
