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A Hyundai Ioniq 5 owner managed to do what every car guy secretly dreams of: game the system. Not by cheating, mind you, but by recognizing an opportunity, squeezing it like a lemon at Bonneville, and coasting away grinning.
The story unfolded on Reddit, more specifically, in the r/Ioniq5 subreddit. The user, who goes by zpoon, posted a snapshot that made even the most jaded observers sit up: 330 charging sessions over two years, 15,245 kWh consumed, and $16,859.67 in costs avoided.
“The result of having a never-busy, super convenient, always working EA station right on my commute to and from work.
Now it’s time to make use of my barely used Grizzl-E charger at home!
To those inevitably asking how I dealt with this:
My local EA station was a unicorn. It was never busy; there was always an available stall. I think once or twice (out of 300+ sessions), I took the last available stall, which made the charger actually full, but no one ever waited. The chargers were 350kW uncapped/unmetered old style, and then were later upgraded to the balanced newer EA model. There was a convenience store in the same plaza and an Urgent Care center, which had free open wifi that reached the charger.
The EA station was 15 seconds off my commute route.
90% of the time, I was the only one charging.
I used the charging time to decompress after work, watch some YouTube and movies, get work done, etc. I was able to “sideload” Fermata Auto onto my phone, which allowed me to watch YouTube via AA on the head unit, which was sick.”
The station sat just 15 seconds off his daily commute, nestled between a convenience store and an urgent care clinic whose open Wi-Fi conveniently reached the chargers. It wasn’t just about free electricity. It was a ritual. “I used the charging time to decompress after work, watch some YouTube and movies, get work done, etc. I was able to sideload Fermata Auto onto my phone, which allowed me to watch YouTube via AA on the head unit, which was sick,” he wrote.
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Charging Performance: 350 kW DC Fast Charge in 18 Min & 6–7 Hour Level 2 Home Charge
- DC fast charging from 10% to 80% takes about 18 minutes on a 350 kW charger, thanks to its 800-volt architecture.
- A full charge on a Level 2 home setup typically requires 6-7 hours, making it convenient for overnight replenishment.
- The N variation enhances charging efficiency with thermal management, reducing times in hot or cold conditions.
- Overall, its design and quick-charge capabilities position it as a versatile EV for both daily commutes and spirited drives.
Crunch the numbers and the feat becomes even more impressive. At the EA station’s going rate of $0.64/kWh, those 15,245 kWh would’ve cost around $9,757. Compare that to home charging, which in his area runs about $0.22/kWh; that’s $3,354 for the same energy.
Even assuming the app’s savings figure is inflated (which zpoon admits), the true value still likely sits somewhere north of six grand. It’s a reminder that incentives like Hyundai’s free two-year EA charging plan aren’t just marketing fluff; they can deliver real-world returns when leveraged smartly.
And it’s worth noting: this wasn’t luck. It was timing, location, and consistency. While forums like IoniqForum.com are littered with tales of charger downtime, wait queues, and software hiccups, zpoon’s experience represents the other side of the EV infrastructure coin, where everything just works. His story stands in contrast to urban EV owners who hover around overburdened Supercharger stations like vultures over a carcass.
After 2 Years of Free EA Charging Ends: Switching Your Hyundai Ioniq 5 to a Grizzl‑E Home Charger
Meanwhile, back home, his Grizzl-E Level 2 charger, capable, reliable, wall-mounted, sat mostly unused. A backup plan that rarely had to act. Now, with the EA promo expired, the roles will reverse. But the two-year window provided a proof of concept for what EV ownership can look like when infrastructure and incentives align.
Of course, not everyone will be so lucky. Redditor TrogdorBurn8 offered a dose of skepticism: “Does EA really charge more than $1 a kWh? That’s more than the price of gas.” The answer? No, at least not in this case. But the fact that public charging can cost that much in some regions highlights the current volatility of EV infrastructure economics. Unlike the uniformity of gasoline pricing.
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Breakdown: 641 HP, Drift & Boost Modes, and Retro‑Futuristic Design Features
- The Ioniq 5 N is a high-performance variant with up to 641 horsepower, featuring sport-tuned suspension for track-like agility.
- It includes N-specific modes like drift and boost, transforming the standard crossover into an enthusiast’s EV with simulated engine sounds.
- Design language draws from retro-futuristic vibes, with pixelated LED lights and angular lines inspired by 1980s concepts.
- Aerodynamic elements, such as flush door handles and a parametric pixel theme, blend modern EV efficiency with bold, geometric styling.
No fuss, no friction, just a modern EV doing exactly what it promised, supported by a network that, for once, behaved itself. It’s not a humblebrag. It’s a clean execution of a plan. In a landscape filled with lofty EV promises and half-baked rollouts, it’s refreshing to see one owner extract every ounce of value from a factory-backed benefit without shouting about it from the rooftops.
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So what does this teach us? That real-world EV ownership isn’t always about range anxiety, charger meltdowns, or the latest over-the-air update.
Sometimes, it’s about a guy with an Ioniq 5, a well-placed charger, and the good sense to take full advantage of a system designed, however briefly, to reward early adopters.
Zpoon proved that with the right infrastructure, electric vehicles can deliver something we don’t talk about enough: peace of mind. No noise, no fumes, no oil to change. Just a car that works, a charger that’s always ready, and a commute that paid dividends for two years straight.
Image Sources: Hyundai Media Center
Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.
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Source: torquenews.com
