Going to Detroit

I have a rented Ioniq 5 for a trip up to Detroit for some charge testing this week. This is my first time driving and charging an 800 volt vehicle (other than a bus or truck).

One thing I love about 800v vehicles in the passenger segment is the charging speed benefit even at basic chargers. The vehicle's onboard DC/DC ability (necessary for using older 400v stations) means it can request an arbitrary voltage/current from the station and convert it. As a result, I am getting a constant 49.9kW on this 50kW unit regardless of actual battery voltage. My Bolt would be stuck at lower power. I would really like to try this at a station that claims 50kw at 500v (500v and only 100A) to see if it will hold up.

The super fast charging of the Ioniq 5 is nice when a 235+kW charger is available, but I also see the ability to make the most of less powerful stations as a great benefit. Lower power units are prolific and will continue to be installed, so a little speed boost that 400v cars don't get is a nice perk.

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