Hyundai's New Charging Stations Are Inspired By F1 Pit Stops

Apr. 06, 2021 4:52 PM ET by Karl Furlong Technology / 2 Comments

The idea is for charging to take up as little time as possible.

Hyundai's first dedicated electric vehicle, the Ioniq 5, was officially revealed with futuristic styling and a lounge-like interior earlier this year. It's one of several electric vehicles that Hyundai will be unveiling over the next few years, including the Ioniq 6. However, Hyundai knows that building and selling a desirable and capable EV is just one part of the equation. It also has to assure customers that charging won't be a chore. That's why the brand is planning to roll out new E-pit charging stations. As you may be able to tell by the name, the stations were inspired by Formula 1 pit stops.

In F1, these pit stops allow for the extraordinarily quick changing of tires and the execution of numerous repairs for racing cars. This same philosophy of speed and efficiency is being applied to the E-pit charging stations. According to Inside EVs, the E-pit stations will be rolled out in South Korea initially. These 800V fast chargers will enable charging of batteries up to 80 percent in below 20 minutes, or the adding of 100 km (62 miles) of range in a mere five minutes. At first, 20 stations with 120 stalls will be made available. 12 stations will be located along highways from mid-April this month, with the rest in urban centers.

The E-pits will feature Plug & Charge capability, with automatic authentication and payments for convenient and quick stops. Mercedes will offer a similar charging process for its new EQS electric sedan, although it's great to see the same technology applied to more affordable EVs like the Ioniq 5. Hyundai's charging stations also have an appealing layout with a roof section, and while this may seem unimportant, these are the extras that make living with an EV more appealing for first-time converts. It remains to be seen if Hyundai's E-pit stations will make it into other markets like the US but considering the success of Tesla's own Supercharging network, we don't see why not.