Electric vehicle charging is one of the main barriers to entry for EV ownership in America. Vehicles with electric powertrain setups may have come a long way in the past decade, but charging infrastructure still has a long way to go.
Automakers have come to terms with the fact that Tesla has one of the best charging networks in the country. Brands like Ford, GM, Rivian, Honda, Hyundai and more have partnered with Tesla to provide EV drivers access to Tesla superchargers. Hyundai is taking things a step further by streamlining the charging experience in a way few automakers have.
Last spring, South Korean automaker Hyundai announced new charging features that make the EV charging experience easier in a press release. “These new features not only simplify the charging process, but also enhance the overall ownership experience” said Manish Mehrotra, Hyundai Motor North America’s Vice President of Digital Business Planning and Connected Operations.
Hyundai drivers can find and pay for charging within the MyHyundai with Bluelink app. Prior to this new feature, drivers needed to install individual apps for different charging systems to use them. Now, drivers can locate, navigate to, select, and activate charging stations from the app, according to the press release. This simplifies the process of finding available chargers and paying for charging sessions.
Hyundai’s new feature is available to 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 and 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 models. Compatible charging networks include IONNA, Tesla Supercharger, ChargePoint and EVgo, which are some of the major players in the EV charging space.
Hyundai is also introducing its new Plug and Charge feature. This feature allows drivers to simply plug their vehicle into participating stations to make payments, completely eliminating payment processing via physical credit cards or smartphones. EVs have gotten smarter over the years and now chargers are getting smarter as well thanks to this feature.
Charging an electric vehicle in America can be a harrowing task due to the lack of capable and reliable charging stations in many areas of the country. To make matters worse, many public charging stations lack the wattage to provide fast-charging, so drivers could wait hours for significant battery replenishment.
While some networks like the Tesla Supercharger network offer a more premium experience, there’s still plenty of room for improvement in charging infrastructure. Hyundai’s newest charging features allow drivers to make the most of public charging systems, giving them convenient access to several networks via an app and simplifying the payment process.
As more automakers produce competitive electric vehicles, the demand for EV charging will increase. The future of EV charging is unclear but one thing is certain: America needs more fast and reliable charging stations to support the growing number of EV drivers. On the other hand, countries like China are making major headway in charging innovations.
American electric vehicle charging has become a collaborative effort between some of the largest automotive corporations in the world and their subsidiaries. If automakers truly wish to create positive charging experiences for EV owners, they should consider partnerships and features as Hyundai did.
The South Korean automaker is producing several competitive EVs across its portfolio of brands (Hyundai, Kia, Genesis) and some nameplates are growing in popularity. Models like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 have the opportunity to rival even Tesla in sales in the years to come.

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