Hyundai Aims for Three-Minute EV Charging to Match Gasoline Refueling Speed

Hyundai is intensifying efforts to achieve a technological benchmark intended to remove a major obstacle to widespread electric vehicle adoption: the time required for charging. The manufacturer’s stated objective is to reduce the duration needed to replenish an EV battery to approximately three minutes, thereby aligning the convenience of electric vehicles with that of conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) refueling.

This development initiative is being managed by engineers at Hyundai's European laboratories, where next-generation charging systems are undergoing intensive evaluation. Current Hyundai vehicles utilizing the E-GMP platform, including the IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6, can achieve a 10% to 80% charge in about 18 minutes when connected to a 350 kW DC fast charger, a capability derived from their 800V architecture. Tyrone Johnson, Managing Director of the Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center (HMETC), has indicated that this pursuit is driven by consumer expectations.

Johnson noted that customers accustomed to the established pace of gasoline refueling perceive waiting periods of 20 to 30 minutes as inconvenient, even for current EV charging speeds. He asserts that reaching the three-minute target is essential for mitigating range anxiety and establishing parity in user experience between electric and gasoline-powered transport. To realize this goal, Hyundai engineers are testing systems designed to accept a 400 kW power input.

This focus on higher power acceptance is strategic, as the company seeks to avoid the negative consequences of simply installing larger battery packs, which would increase vehicle weight, manufacturing costs, and overall energy consumption. The global technological race is accelerating, with some manufacturers in China reportedly achieving approximately five-minute top-ups using specialized 1,000 kW infrastructure. Competitors like Porsche are also advancing, with the electric Cayenne targeting peak power between 320 kW and 400 kW for a 10% to 80% charge in as little as 16 minutes under specific conditions.

Hyundai’s current real-world charging speeds on existing 350 kW stations often peak between 225 kW and 260 kW, highlighting the gap to the 400 kW objective. The HMETC, central to this effort, is concentrating on innovations in cell chemistry and power electronics, particularly the integration of Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN) components to improve thermal management during high-power transfers. Johnson acknowledged the significant challenge of perfecting ultra-fast EV charging to match decades of refinement in gasoline refueling, emphasizing that the necessary charging infrastructure must evolve concurrently with vehicle technology.