The future of driving looks electric. For example, experts, automakers and politicians expect electric vehicles to reach 50% of US passenger car sales by 2030. Furthermore, California recently announced a statewide ban on the sale of new gas-powered cars, which takes effect in 2035. However, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) only constituted about 5% of US car sales this year. That means many millions of people will be considering their first EV purchases in the coming years and may be confused about how charging works.

The first thing to keep in mind is that over 95% of EV drivers say they won’t go back to gas, so you should expect this to be a positive change. One reason might be that EVs cost about $1,000 dollars less per year to use than gas-powered vehicles do, primarily because of savings on fuel and maintenance, especially for those who use a Level 2 home charger. Over the life of a vehicle, which adds up! When you additionally consider generous tax incentives for EV purchases and home charging, they’re often a much better deal than internal-combustion engines. Further, improvements in range, charging infrastructure and engine performance mean the typical driver isn’t sacrificing anything when they eliminate fossil fuels.

The main problem is that there are so many great new green models to choose from. Whereas drivers only had two choices in 2010, and only twenty by 2015, there were 50 new options released during 2020. Now, Bank of America analysts estimate that at least 85 additional electric car models will launch by 2024. Although EVs were once very limited by their technology, today’s many options are significantly cheaper, faster, longer lasting, and more reliable than they used to be.

Let’s consider one of the best new EVs: the Hyundai Ioniq 5.

The iconic Hyundai Ioniq

The Ioniq 5 is one of the most sought-after vehicles of this year, with great features, a long driving range, vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability and fast charging. It has received wildly positive recognition, for instance by sweeping the 2022 “Car of the Year” awards: it won World Car of the Year, World EV of the Year and World Car Design of the Year. Additionally, it was named “Car and Driver” magazine’s “EV of the Year.” Clearly, it won’t steer you wrong!

It comes with all the modern features you could want, from all-wheel drive and one-speed automatic transmission to four levels of regenerative braking and generous warranties. It has a 77.4 kWh battery, 320 horses of power and 446 pound-feet of torque. It can accelerate from zero to sixty in 4.4 seconds, and then brake back to zero in 123 feet. It gets an equivalent of 98 miles-per-gallon, while the average new EV model only gets 78. It can travel 256 miles on a single full change, whereas the average new EV model can only handle about 217, and more. Its interior might remind you of a spaceship or an Apple store, with twin dashboard screens, a Heads-Up Display, smooth white panels, shiny blue buttons, and metallic silver accents. In short, it’s futuristic, powerful and efficient.

Furthermore, it’s a great deal. While the average EV price in the US is now $66,000, the Ioniq 5 sells for $55,725. Additionally, the Ioniq 5 and EV6 still qualifies for the full $7,500 federal tax credit on EVs, unlike much of its competition, so its actual price is less than $50,000. That’s before considering all the state and local tax incentives for purchasing an electric car and for installing a Level 2 EV home charger. Overall, despite winning countless awards, this high-performance luxury car looks like a steal.

Ioniq 5 charging speed

Knowing how to charge the Ioniq 5 is key to getting the most out of your EV experience. As with all electric vehicles, there are a lot of different ways to recharge the Ioniq 5, including different charging speeds, different equipment, and a variety of charge settings to customize the charging to suit your needs. We created this explainer so that owners who are new to EVs will understand all the different nuances to keep your Ioniq 5 charged up.

Level 1 Charging

The Ioniq 5 comes with a portable 120-v charging cord, allowing you to charge from a regular household outlet. This cord has an adjustable power output from 6-amps to 12-amps, set to 6-amps from the factory. To change the power level setting, press and hold the button on the front of the cord to scroll through the power levels. However, Level 1 charging is slow, and even on the highest setting, you'll only add about 3 to 5 miles of range per hour of charging. That means it would take over a day to fill up!

Level 2 Charging

This is the most popular option for EV owners, as it charges quickly from a 240-v source, and it’s the best way to make your battery last longer. According to the Department of Energy, 80% of electric vehicle charging happens at home, often on a Level 2 Charger. There are a variety of Level 2 charging systems available to purchase, but we believe that our best-selling JuiceBox has the most to offer. The Ioniq 5 is capable of accepting up to 10.9 kW, so owners who want to charge the vehicle as quickly as possible at home should consider purchasing a 48-amp charging station, like the award-winning JuiceBox 48. The JuiceBox 48 fills it up completely in about seven hours, using the standard J1772 charging plug, which works with every EV on the market.

Level 3 charging

The Ioniq 5's best charging feature might just be its ability to recharge from 10% to 80% in only 18 minutes when charging from a 350 kW DC fast charger. However, if the battery isn’t warm enough, this seems to take about 30 minutes instead. This is still much faster than many rival EVs, and can really make a difference when you’re filling up on the go. However, almost all EV drivers install a Level 2 home charger instead, like the bestselling JuiceBox.

Vehicle-to-load capability

The Ioniq 5 also has vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability, which allows you to access the stored energy in the battery to power electrical devices. The system can deliver up to 16-amps of power at 120-volts (1.9 kW).  

Recharge while you sleep with a Level 2 charger

Drivers used to sacrifice performance, money and convenience to go green. But it clearly seems like the Ioniq 5will give you superior performance for a lower cost, and help you avoid the inconvenience of relying on gas stations. The Ioniq 5 has a lot of great charging options, from Level 1 charging with its portable cord, to Level 2 charging with a variety of chargers, to Level 3 DC fast charging. We also love that it has vehicle-to-load capability, allowing you to access the stored energy in the battery to power electrical devices.

In summary, for most Ioniq 5 owners, Level 2 charging will be the most cost effective and convenient way to keep the vehicle charged. The one downside is that Level 2 systems are less convenient when you’re on road trips, because they often take nearly eight hours to completely fill up an empty battery. The cost of charging will depend on the type of charger you use and your local utility rates, but home charging with a Level 2 charger should cost around $2.50 per hour, while charging with a Level 3 DC fast charger will vary based on the station and your location. That means you’ll save about 70% on fuel costs, relative to the typical driver. No wonder so many people are interested in going electric! 

Ready to make the transition? Get ready to go electric and shop our JuiceBox Level 2 chargers today.