Hyundai Motor UK has appointed smart home charging business Ohme as its official home charging partner. Ohme’s dynamic smart chargers can connect with the grid in real time, automatically adjusting to optimise the cost of charge and accessing all the times of the smartest, greenest and lowest cost energy tariffs. The partnership with Ohme is the latest innovation from Hyundai Motor UK in a holistic approach to EV ownership, which makes owning, charging, and driving a Hyundai electric vehicle as easy as possible.

With EVs now thoroughly mainstream, Hyundai is welcoming buyers of all ages and all levels of experience into their first pure electric car. Rather than put the burden of education on them, we’re curating an ecosystem of services and offers that will do the thinking for them. We offer them a cost-effective way to charge at home, an easy way to plan out long journeys, a simple way to charge away from home and up-to-date accessibility and information on the status of their vehicles. With Ohme – one of the fastest growing smart charging companies in the UK – we’ve found an innovative partner that shares our vision of simplifying the EV ownership experience.

Ashley Andrew President, Hyundai & Genesis UK

Using Ohme’s unique software and technology can generate significant cost-savings over a year, without the need to specifically plug-in at times of low demand on the grid. Running a Hyundai IONIQ 6 Single Motor RWD with its 77.4kWh battery (WLTP range: 338mls) and an Ohme smart charger on Intelligent Octopus Go*, for example, could cost £116.80 for a year for an average UK driver doing 6800 miles. By comparison, charging on the Standard Variable Tariff would cost £451.62 for the same distance and an equivalent petrol car would be more than £1200.

As well as its cutting-edge range of electric vehicles from the World Car of the Year-winning IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6 to All-New KONA, Hyundai is committed to streamlining the EV ownership experience for its customers through partnerships and product innovations such as this. Buyers of Hyundai EVs and PHEVs also have access to Charge myHyundai; an app which opens up more than 40,000 charging points across the UK – operated by many different charging networks – and over 640,000 charge points in Europe. Users are simply sent their final cost for all charging sessions at the end of each month, with each started and ended through the single touchpoint of the Charge myHyundai app. Charge myHyundai also provides realtime information on charger availability and route planning with real-time on-route charging options.

The innovative Plug & Charge system streamlines the process even further, removing the need for an app, payment card or RFID card entirely. Currently available on IONIQ 6 and All-New KONA Electric models, Plug & Charge (operated through Charge myHyundai) enables automated authentication through the integrated communication between the vehicle and the charging point over the charging cable. Without the need for an app or a charging card for authentication, the flow of electricity begins once the Plug & Charge-enabled vehicle is plugged in.

The Hyundai Bluelink app, available on all Hyundai models, also provides unique benefits for EV and PHEV drivers with the ability to check battery status and set repeating charging schedules. EV users are also able to remotely start and stop charging, remotely heat or cool the car’s interior. Bluelink offers a wealth of features regardless of vehicle powertrain, such as navigation planning via the app which can then be sent to the vehicle, voice controlled navigation and audio system control, real time information on destination parking, charging and fuel station availability and costs. Bluelink will also actively monitor vehicle status and warn the driver of any potential problems, such as low tyre pressure.

To take convenience further, all-new KONA Electric can also be locked, unlocked and started through its Digital Key 2 Touch system. This feature allows the driver to set aside the conventional key fob and instead use all-new KONA’s secure near-field communication system that works alongside compatible smartphones, smart watches or the supplied smart credit card system to gain access, operate and secure the vehicle, removing the hassle of key fob operation and storage.

Hyundai’s commitment to evolving the EV experience extends even to the buying process, with test drive opportunities of up to 24-hours in participating retailers. Either by phone, in-person or with online booking, potential EV buyers can find a local Hyundai retailer and schedule a test drive of either 30 minutes, 60 minutes or 24 hours. This opens up the ability for customers to see how an electric vehicle could fit into their life.

All of these products and services fit in and around the Hyundai range of electric vehicles, which are designed to both allow buyers to drive further (with up to 338 miles range WLTP) and charge faster (with up to 800v charging). The diverse range of fully electric models also includes the IONIQ 5 N performance car – recently voted TopGear.com Car of the Year – and the All-New KONA, named Auto Express Car of the Year.