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Trying my hardest to become a first time PHEV owner!

11K views 57 replies 17 participants last post by  XxHaimBondxX 
#1 ·
Hi all,

Been Googling, reading, and asking around for help on deciding what kind of hybrid vehicle to purchase. My search started with the Ioniq HEV and ended with the PHEV version after reading some helpful responses!

Backstory aside, I've got a few of questions for you all:
(1) The US Ioniq PHEV comes with two charging cables, yes? A 120V Level 1 and a 240V Level 2? I've read posts here that say many come with one, but the Hyundai specifies two so dealers end up dragging their feet before getting them ordered. I've heard elsewhere that only the EU markets get a 240V and the US is stuck with the 120V version.

(2) Assuming the above is true and the US market does get two (hopefully!) can you all provide any info on the 240V version? I'm hoping for amperage, IP rating (if any), plug style (14-30R, etc.), and some photos if it isn't too much to ask.

(3) I'm from Cincinnati, OH so as you can imagine finding a PHEV within a reasonable distance (<200 miles) is impossible. I've reached out to one dealer in my area so far with no response yet. I'm not against selling ordering remotely, but I would like to trade my current car in for the tax incentives and the convenience of it all. I know I can expect to lose some profit off trading it, but those reasons are enough to offset it for me.

I can't imagine a dealer would be too interested in negotiating the price of a car I have to get special ordered. What has your experience been with that?

Over-the-phone negotiating isn't ideal either so I'm leery of remote purchasing too.

I'm interested in test driving the PHEV but local dealers only have Hybrids available. Is the experience comparable enough to make a decision about my enjoyment of the car?

At any rate, I appreciate you for reading this far and helping me in my journey!
Anthony
 
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#2 ·
Great choice! You might consider RAV4 Prime (when it comes in summer) as it will have even more tech than Ioniq plus longer range for at least 25% higher price.
1. I believe we all get Level 1 charging cable no matter continent. Unfortunately for us on this island, we get one for 120V. Europe gets one for 220V. I might be wrong or manual is wrong.
3. Test drive??? Ha, ha, ha. I guess you will be lucky if you can GET a car for list price if not for more. You will have to rely on this forum and its members' experience for 'ride quality'. I doubt driving will be different except you will experience longer quiet driving as some 30km could be pure electric. Engine is the same, transmission, tech, etc. Just bigger battery and some software trickery.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Hi and welcome to the Forum @asciutto.

Good questions all!

1) & 2) My Canadian PHEV came with one 120 Volt - Level 1 "Granny" charger, as I believe all NA models do as standard. I've never heard of 2 being supplied in NA, but yes, I have heard of some Brits that had a 220/240 (?) volt - (edit: Level 2) home charger included (edit: in addition to the Level 1 "Granny" charger) though.

Really, I get by just fine with standard 120 volt home charging, takes a little over 7 hours, easily accomplished overnight. If you have 2 X 120 Volt circuits or single 240 Volt available you can buy an EVDoubler that will cut that charge time in half. A full on 240 Volt Level 2 charger is not necessary for the PHEV IMHO, but some folks have different needs and do love it.

3) Reach out again or reach further for a good dealer. They might even have a demo or 2019 stock still available at a discounted price, but as you say don't count on a big negotiating factor. I special ordered my PHEV and agree I didn't get more than a few hundred bucks off, but I did receive the model and colour I wanted.

I had several test drives of all 3 versions HEV, PHEV & EV and many other members here did as well. Basically the Ioniq drives very much like a regular ICE vehicle, no great surprises to my surprise. I didn't want a CVT so the Ioniq 6 speed DCT was a treat for me. Plenty of reviews and road tests too. Definitely check out Bjorn Nyland's YouTube videos, They're great!

Do more exploring by search or other posts here by folks in the same position as you, many more folks indeed!

Good luck and do ask away!
 
#4 · (Edited)
Level 1 charging basically means "plug in anywhere there's an outlet" charging. The car comes with a Level 1 charger, in North America it's 120V with the plug we know and love, in Europe, the UK, and elsewhere it's 240V with the plugs those parts of the world know and love. The trick is, it's actually the same bit of kit worldwide with just the wall plug and the programming to tell the car the maximum current for each setting (high, medium, low) that's different, so if you rig something like the EV Doubler to feed your North American Hyundai Level 1 charger with 240V then you can charge your car twice as fast (almost as fast as an Ioniq PHEV will charge off a Level 2).

Level 2 charging is AC charging with higher power levels than you get from a normal wall socket, and requires a special charger which is typically (though not always) a permanently installed affair. In North America the Level 2 chargers always have the cable built in (like the hose on a gas pump, aka as god intended) so you just plug it into your car. In Europe for some reason the Level 2 chargers rarely have a built-in cable, so you have to get your own Level 2 cable and haul it around with you. (Literally just an extension cord with EV specific plugs.) Some European dealers/regions will include one with the car while others don't.

DC Fast Charging (often mistakenly called Level 3) delivers more power yet again, but doesn't apply to the Ioniq PHEV. As far as I know the Mitsubishi Outlander is the only PHEV that does DC Fast Charging, which is a shame because it would be great to top up our Ioniq PHEVs in just 10 or 15 minutes. To the best of my knowledge DC Fast Chargers always have a built-in cable no matter where in the world you go.
 
#19 ·
Level 2 charging is AC charging with higher power levels than you get from a normal wall socket, and requires a special charger which is typically (though not always) a permanently installed affair. In North America the Level 2 chargers always have the cable built in (like the hose on a gas pump, aka as god intended) so you just plug it into your car. In Europe for some reason the Level 2 chargers rarely have a built-in cable, so you have to get your own Level 2 cable and haul it around with you. (Literally just an extension cord with EV specific plugs.) Some European dealers/regions will include one with the car while others don't.
Actually, we in North America do have 240V ready available. Your drier runs at 240V. I have European washing machine running on 'american drier' outlet.
Now, to use those 240V which are readily available, does one have to have special 'plug' for PHEV?
 
#5 ·
Hi all,

Been Googling, reading, and asking around for help on deciding what kind of hybrid vehicle to purchase. My search started with the Ioniq HEV and ended with the PHEV version after reading some helpful responses!

Backstory aside, I've got a few of questions for you all:
(1) The US Ioniq PHEV comes with two charging cables, yes? A 120V Level 1 and a 240V Level 2? I've read posts here that say many come with one, but the Hyundai specifies two so dealers end up dragging their feet before getting them ordered. I've heard elsewhere that only the EU markets get a 240V and the US is stuck with the 120V version.

(2) Assuming the above is true and the US market does get two (hopefully!) can you all provide any info on the 240V version? I'm hoping for amperage, IP rating (if any), plug style (14-30R, etc.), and some photos if it isn't too much to ask.

(3) I'm from Cincinnati, OH so as you can imagine finding a PHEV within a reasonable distance (<200 miles) is impossible. I've reached out to one dealer in my area so far with no response yet. I'm not against selling ordering remotely, but I would like to trade my current car in for the tax incentives and the convenience of it all. I know I can expect to lose some profit off trading it, but those reasons are enough to offset it for me.

I can't imagine a dealer would be too interested in negotiating the price of a car I have to get special ordered. What has your experience been with that?

Over-the-phone negotiating isn't ideal either so I'm leery of remote purchasing too.

I'm interested in test driving the PHEV but local dealers only have Hybrids available. Is the experience comparable enough to make a decision about my enjoyment of the car?

At any rate, I appreciate you for reading this far and helping me in my journey!
Anthony
Yes, the PHEV was a difficult-to-get car in late 2018, hopefully more available now. Ours came with a level one charging cable only. We have found the level one charging to be generally ok, but may install a level 2 EVSE soon. As an another poster said, the Level 2 EVSE usually come with charging cable attached. There are a number of different amperages available; in general, the higher amperage chargers are more money. I would suggest picking the one that fits your budget, expectations, and the available breaker capacity at your charging location.

Good luck!
 
#6 ·
Welcome to the forum asciutto. It's a great place to find info on the Ioniq, as you can see, there have been some great detailed replies to your questions already. I'll just add a little from my experience here in Toledo.

I got my PHEV Ioniq in early 2018 just after they became 'available' in the US. Except they weren't available anywhere around here, and still aren't. I test drove the HEV twice and that was a very helpful. The interior, exterior, ride handling, dash, comfort, quality, etc was all the same as the phev.

After doing my research I knew I wanted the phev. The local dealerships were not helpful so I looked online using cars.com and found some on the east coast. I negotiated price and delivery to Ohio over the phone. At that time they were brand new in the US so I didn't get a great discount but I did get the one I wanted. It takes a certain amount of trust buying a car sight unseen over the phone. And I don't trust car dealers in general, so it was stressful, but it worked out.

I put my old car for sale online (Craigs list, I think). I got several inquiries right away but ended up selling it to a co-worker who needed a car for his son. It was so much easier that way that I was willing to take a couple hundred off the price for him just to save me the trouble.

The car is great. It is the perfect car for me, I'm very happy with it and love the quiet electric ride. It takes a little extra effort to get one in Ohio but it's worth it. Good luck with yours.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Thank you all for the replies! This has been tremendously helpful.

I've had a vision for what buying my next car would be like and reality is not lining up quite like I had hoped so it's taking a bit to adjust to that. Buying remotely and needing to sell my car privately was the most recent domino to fall!

What I'm trying to locate now is a thread I thought I saw on this forum. It was a teardown of the provided Level 1 ICCB with the Ioniq. It showed pictures of the inside of the box which showed the line side and input side terminals. It looks like a simple cord grip is all that is keeping the cable + 5-15p attacked to the box. If I can remove all that I can put my own end on it and plug it into a new 240V box I'm going to install in my garage to tax advantage of the higher voltage efficiencies.

I read an article that said under 2kWh of charge rate is only 70% efficient and over 2kWh it is around 85%. I do plan on running some experiments and I will post my results to this forum!

e:
Found it! It's for a Kia Soul, but it provides a little info on what is on the inside.
 
#8 ·
Level 2 chargers are not that expensive. There are some at Costco for about $280, and the reviews claim it is faster than Level 1. The advantage would be you have two stations, one would be stay-at-home and one can be kept in the car, in case you are visiting somewhere and want to charge.
I have-not heard of efficiency differences related to charging kwh rates, and would expect the BMS takes care of charging efficiency such that the only difference is the time it takes to charge.
 
#9 ·
Hey @asciutto We seem to be on similar quests. I'm just up the road in Dayton. I first started seeking an EV, but now thinking PHEV. I am after a lease, and have seen some insanely low advertised prices ($49/mo.) and found a dealer in NY that has 71 2019 PHEV's listed on their website. Check out Lia Hyundai in Albany.

As far as Chargers go, check out Amazon. They have several L2 Chargers for ~$200. I have an existing 240v outlet for some woodworking equipment, and will probably go that way.

Good luck in your search.
 
#21 ·
Hey @asciutto We seem to be on similar quests. I'm just up the road in Dayton. I first started seeking an EV, but now thinking PHEV. I am after a lease, and have seen some insanely low advertised prices ($49/mo.) and found a dealer in NY that has 71 2019 PHEV's listed on their website. Check out Lia Hyundai in Albany.

As far as Chargers go, check out Amazon. They have several L2 Chargers for ~$200. I have an existing 240v outlet for some woodworking equipment, and will probably go that way.

Good luck in your search.
I dont understand how your Yankie leases work? So you pay $49/mo for what 5 years? Then some balloon payment? Or up front deposit?
Here in Oz you would pay more than 50 bucks a week on the lease of some secondhand scungy buzz box. I must be missing something. Please enlighten me....
 
#11 ·
Asciutto - thanks, I also found this one from INL. I think these studies are all pretty dated, 2013-2015 vintage. The efficiency gap was less in the 2015 INL Study. It is probable the level 2 charger still has a material efficiency advantage over Level 1, but BMS systems have improved, and it would helpful if there was a more recent reference. It also would be great if Hyundai would tell what their tests have shown.
 
#12 ·
My 2019 came with the level 1 a year ago here in California. But most electric municipalities will rebate the cost of a level 2 as long as its hardwired to the house. We are happy with our JuiceBox which if you are with the right electric provider, they will return a little bit of funds each month for having them manage your charging cycles.
I’ve loved our PHEV. It’s been an awesome car that we use a lot. With the incentives both state and federal, it was as expensive as the HEV when you back it all out. Ask away, I’m an open book! I also ridehail with mine. But that might be ending soon
 
#13 ·
My utility provides a $500 incentive for purchase of certain level 2 chargers.
I purchased a JuiceBox Pro 32 Smart Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station with WiFi - 32 amp Level 2 EVSE, 24-Foot Cable, NEMA 14-50 Plug, UL and Energy Star Certified, Indoor/Outdoor Use (Plug-in Installation) , from Amazon.com
It was $499 and $542 with Tax, Received a full $500 check from the utility Company.

The one I bought plugs into a NEMA 14-50 outlet, They also sell a hardwired version.
Its a smart (Wifi) charger and tracks charging amount on your dashboard account at their website.
Hope this helps
 
#14 ·
Hello,
I am a new PHEV owner, having it only a week now. I will tell you this. I plug my PHEV in over night with the included 110v outlet charger. It takes about 7 hours to charge (to get 27 miles +/-). ****Now also note that in sport mode as you drive it charges your drained battery. You get bad mpg, but you get a fun ride and a full battery after a about an hour and a half of driving. (Think this is an unknown feature seeing as many that buy this car do it for the mpg).
Because of the price I would say buy it.
PS- if you lease, you WILL NOT be able to claim the tax credit. ****also - if you do decide to buy instead of lease, the tax credit is only about 4500$ instead of the 7000$ due to the distance (or lack there of) that is battery only. This is on the gov website.
Hope this helps- love mine, so many cool features I learning about each day.
 
#15 ·
Hello,
I am a new PHEV owner, having it only a week now. I will tell you this. I plug my PHEV in over night with the included 110v outlet charger. It takes about 7 hours to charge (to get 27 miles +/-). ****Now also note that in sport mode as you drive it charges your drained battery. You get bad mpg, but you get a fun ride and a full battery after a about an hour and a half of driving. (Think this is an unknown feature seeing as many that buy this car do it for the mpg).
Because of the price I would say buy it.
Hope this helps- love mine, so many cool features I learning about each day.
Check out this 3 page thread @CT_IONIQ for some further observations about Sport Mode charging, I'm sure you will enjoy the complete read. Have fun discovering more about your new PHEV! :)
 
#26 ·
I just leased the 2019 PHEV ioniq from Fucillo Hyundai last week for the advertised $99 down / $99 month lease special that just ended in January. No other local dealers were doing it. It ended up being about $1800 down because you need to pay full sales tax on the vehicle after rebates and incentives. I just checked today the lease went up to $159/$159.
I'm strongly considering buy at the end of the lease term for the residual of $12,500ish.
 
#27 ·
I just leased the 2019 PHEV ioniq from Fucillo Hyundai last week for the advertised $99 down / $99 month lease special that just ended in January. No other local dealers were doing it. It ended up being about $1800 down because you need to pay full sales tax on the vehicle after rebates and incentives. I just checked today the lease went up to $159/$159.
I'm strongly considering buy at the end of the lease term for the residual of $12,500ish.
I went to Fuccillo first and actually test drove it there, along with the new Sonata, but they were at $200 something a month for Ioniq so I went elsewhere. $1800 out of pocket and $99 a month is basically my deal, only Lia's rolled everything into the lease.

There is no way I'd purchase it after lease. No offence, but I don't trust Kia/Hyundai in the long run, especially when new tech is concerned.

Don't forget to sign up for Bonus drive and get another $500 back.
 
#35 ·
Few more questions I'm not able to find answers to:

Does the US model come with heated rear seats?
Does the US model front heated seats have leg and back warmers?
Does the US model have vented front seats?

Can the LFA / LKAS be disabled permanently? I've read some people say you have to hit the button every trip and others that there is an option to turn it off.
 
#37 ·
Few more questions I'm not able to find answers to:

Does the US model come with heated rear seats?
Does the US model front heated seats have leg and back warmers?
Does the US model have vented front seats?

Can the LFA / LKAS be disabled permanently? I've read some people say you have to hit the button every trip and others that there is an option to turn it off.
We have the 2019 PHEV ultimate edition, that's the fully loaded one. AFAIK:
No heated rear seats
The seats are heated, the seat backs aren't
Vented seats - would have to look, but the Ioniq seats are not air conditioned

There may be a way to disable the LKAS permanently, but I don't recall anyone posting such a solution.
 
#36 ·
Suggest you visit Hyundai.com Multiple models, trims, and options.

Yup, turning off lane keep is per trip. In one country you can turn it off per trip on the display, everyone else is dash button only (which is easier anyway).
 
#42 ·
I've got to admit that the engine thing gave me a bit of pause, but this is a different engine, and the wife and I have had zero problems (engine or otherwise) in the other 5 Hyundai's we've owned between us.
 
#45 ·
I don't see the Ioniq as being ahead of its time. Not sure I can even point to something that is class leading. On par mechanically and operationally with the Prius. Less expensive, better warranty, and better looking than the Prius makes it a good deal.
 
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