A Quebecer drove a Hyundai IONIQ 5 to Mexico and back
Hyundai IONIQ 5 owner Patrick Nadeau recently put his new electric SUV - and North American charging networks - to the test by completing a 15,700 km round trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
On October 4th, this photography enthusiast and creator of virtual reality experiences filled his vehicle with luggage and equipment and left Disraeli in the Chaudière-Appalaches region for the American Midwest.
Continuing to Mexico, where his family joined him for a holiday vacation, he then returned home on January 20 after a sprint of some 5,500 km in just seven days.
The total cost of fast recharging during his four-month adventure? Less than $630, says the man who not long ago owned two Ford F-150s and could spend $1,600 a month on gas because of his job. "I sold one to buy an IONIQ 5 and make it my main car, and I don't regret it at all," he says with a broad smile.
Patrick Nadeau's vehicle is a rear-wheel drive model with Hyundai's largest battery (77.4 kWh) and an official maximum range of 488 km. Did he ever worry about running out?
"The farthest I've gone between recharges was 460 km in the Mexican desert," he says. "I started reducing my speed on the highway to 95 km/h and following trucks (to reduce the drag effect). When I got to the charging station, I had 7 percent of the battery left."
The smooth highways he drove on and the warm temperatures that marked his stay in Mexico (around 27 degrees) even allowed him to lower the fuel consumption of his IONIQ 5 to the point of seeing a 680 km range displayed on the dashboard after one of his full recharges.
By the way, how did Patrick Nadeau find his charging experience along the way? "We're lucky in Quebec with the Circuit électrique because the charging stations in the U.S. (Editor's note: he mainly used those of the Electrify America network) are not very reliable. At least once out of two, it didn't work and I had to go to the next station," he explains. As for Mexico, fast charging stations are almost non-existent, except for Tesla's, and are generally limited to 24 kW. So I had to resort to level 2 charging stations, which are not as fast."
He also told us that he used the vehicle on several occasions for camping, sleeping inside while his camera equipment and luggage were outside in a tent. Maintaining a comfortable temperature in the cabin, the IONIQ 5's battery drained about 10% per night, which is pretty reasonable. The ability to power devices like a computer and a cooktop with the V2L (Vehicle to Load) feature came in handy, of course.
Patrick Nadeau says he only had two days of rain during his entire trip (the last two!) and no mechanical problems. He did, however, replace his all-season tires, which had reached 40,000 km of wear, shortly before returning to Quebec.
Not having planned his next adventure yet, he hopes that his return trip to Mexico will inspire other electric vehicle owners or people who are thinking of buying one. From the many comments on his Facebook page, it's safe to say "mission accomplished".
