Hyundai Ioniq 5.
The questions showrooms are afraid to answer.

This is Hyundai's first car built on 800 V architecture, which did in 2021 what the segment's flagship did with the Model S in 2012: it showed that you can build an EV with no compromises. More than 350,000 units sold in Europe by the end of 2024 confirm that the strategy worked.

The launch in February 2021 surprised the market not only with its range and power, but above all with its DC charging time: from 10 to 80 per cent in 18 minutes. That's the result of the 800 V architecture, which only the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT used at the time. Hyundai brought this technology to a segment where people actually buy cars.

Hyundai's philosophy was simple: if you want people to switch from petrol to electric, charging has to be more convenient than filling up. Hence 800 V, hence DC at 235 kW, hence the E-GMP platform shared with the Kia EV6 (economies of scale). The customer got a car that's space-age on the outside, space-age on the inside and space-age at the charging station.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a compact BEV crossover. Built on the 800 V E-GMP platform (shared with the Kia EV6), it offers a purely electric drivetrain without the compromises of a combustion engine. The car was launched in 2021 and received its LCI facelift in 2024.

Unlike plug-in hybrids (PHEV) and classic hybrids (HEV), the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a fully electric car (BEV). There's no petrol engine, no fuel tank, no exhaust. All of its range comes from the battery, which you charge from a socket. That category is the source of its most important trait: a single overnight charging session is enough for the daily commute.

The battery, 84 kWh gross and 77.4 kWh net, comes from Korea's SK On, the second-largest maker of NCM cells in Asia. The Long Range version uses NCM 712 cells (70 per cent nickel, 10 manganese, 20 cobalt), which offer high energy density and good longevity.

A 6.6 kWh buffer (the gross-net difference) protects the cells from deep discharge cycles. Hyundai guarantees the pack for 8 years or 160,000 kilometres, down to 70 per cent of capacity. Real-world measurements from 2021-2022 Ioniq 5 cars show degradation of 2-3 per cent per year in normal use.

After the 2024 LCI facelift, Hyundai improved thermal management and added a heat pump as standard to the 84 kWh AWD version. The pack is liquid-cooled, with a separate circuit independent of the air-conditioning system. Early 58 kWh cars had problems with the ICCU (Integrated Charging Control Unit), which Hyundai fixed in the second generation.

The Long Range AWD version has two PMSM synchronous motors. 70 kW at the front, 165 kW at the rear, together 305 hp of system power and 605 Nm of torque. The 800 V architecture allows lower losses in the cables (lower current at higher voltage), so the car draws less energy from a DC station at the same charging speed.

The Ioniq 5 offers Eco, Normal and Sport modes plus Snow/Sand/Mud (in the AWD version). The V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) system lets you use the battery as a 3.6 kW socket for external devices. Real-world energy consumption is 17-19 kWh/100 km in the combined cycle in summer and 22-25 kWh in winter.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has a built-in onboard charger, or OBC (On-Board Charger), with a limit of 11 kW (three-phase, 16 A). That means that whatever the external source (wallbox, portable charger, public AC station), the car will physically cap the power at that value. Standard Type 2 (Mennekes) connector.

Choosing 11 kW AC over 22 kW is a deliberate cost decision by Hyundai. A built-in 22 kW charger would cost around EUR 800 more, and with a 77 kWh battery the time saved, from 7 hours down to 3.5 hours, is of marginal importance in an overnight cycle. Hyundai bet on DC at 235 kW for road-trip scenarios, where time really counts.

The most common sales myth: dealers suggest that the fastest home charging is a wallbox. That's a half-truth. A wallbox is simply a charger in a wall-mounted housing. From the car's point of view there's no difference between an 11 kW wallbox and an 11 kW portable charger plugged into a CEE socket. The charging parameters are identical. For the Hyundai Ioniq 5 you'll get the fastest home charging from a portable charger or a wallbox rated at 11 kW. The portable one has an edge: you can take it to the summer house, to a hotel, to your in-laws.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 doesn't exist in a vacuum. The compact BEV crossover segment has three natural rivals worth comparing it with on charging, range and price. Each of them has a different philosophy and different strengths.

The third important rival in the segment: VW ID.4 Pro. 286 hp, 77 kWh, 544 km range. AC 11 kW + DC up to 175 kW. Conservative finish and controls.

When does the Hyundai Ioniq 5 win? A specific combination of parameters: battery, power, charging and price. For most customers in Poland it's still one of the best choices in the segment. When does it lose? The WLTP range of 481-507 km is, in some versions, lower than the competition's. But for 90 per cent of users it's enough anyway.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has been tested by leading Polish and European motoring media and by independent EV market experts. The testers' consensus is clear: a solid car with specific strengths and weaknesses. Below is a summary of the main findings from industry tests by the motoring press and EV market analyses.

According to industry tests by the motoring press, Hyundai delivered on its promise: 18 minutes on a 350 kW charger gives 290 kilometres of range. It's a realistic assessment worth taking into account before you buy.

Independent road tests highlight the handling: the Ioniq 5 drives like nothing else in the segment - there's no whiff of German patience about it, but there is a whiff of Korean pragmatism. That matters to people who value driving dynamics.

Industry analyses of the EV market indicate that 11 kW AC is enough power for a typical home scenario. DC at 235 kW does the job on the road. That matches exactly what we see at Ampere Point.

That's exactly how we see it at Ampere Point. A customer buying a Hyundai Ioniq 5 gets a car designed for overnight 11 kW charging. Our Q11 and P11 portable chargers are a perfect match: the full 11 kW, a Type 2 cable, 8 hours to a full battery. No wallbox, no electrician, no cutting into the wall.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a choice for someone who wants a compact BEV crossover with a fully electric drivetrain. It's a perfect fit when: your daily commute fits within the battery's range, you have access to a socket in the garage or car park, and you accept the need for DC on the road. Charger recommendation: if you value in-app consumption monitoring and night tariff integration, choose Q11 (PLN 1,349). If a simple, reliable charger is enough for you, go for P11 (PLN 999). Both deliver the full 11 kW, both charge the Hyundai Ioniq 5 in 8 hours, and you can take either on holiday. A 22 kW wallbox bought for a Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a classic example of a solution looking for a problem - don't let the showroom talk you into that kind of investment.