If you’re new to the world of electric vehicles (or EVs, for short), you’re in the right place. This guide will give you a clear view of the information on EV charging, so you know how long it will take to charge your EV.
Navigating the EV landscape might look dauntingly different if you’re used to driving petrol or diesel. No one wants to get caught out without enough charge to get from A to B. Understanding the ins and outs of charging is necessary for anyone looking to go electric.
At MaxxEV, we’re here to switch from a fossil fuel vehicle to an EV simple. We’ll show you the tools to find a place to charge or top up quickly and thoroughly. And if you have questions about what battery size is best, we’ll run through that too. We always recommend having a home charger installed with an intelligent tariff that gives you the best chance of saving more.
By the end, you’ll know everything you need about how much time and energy it takes to charge your EV.
How long does it take to charge an electric vehicle?
It can take as little as 15 minutes to charge an EV or as long as 12 hours. This rough equation can be used to figure the time out for each kind of vehicle.
Battery size/charging speed = charge time
There’s a load of variables to this. Let’s take a look.
What affects the charging time of an electric car?
Once you know which car you’re looking at, charging times can still vary. For example, your charge will be more effective overnight compared to top-ups throughout the day on a rapid charger. It will also be more or less expensive, depending on where you’re charging.
So, what are the main factors to consider?
- Car type and model
- Charger type
- When and where do you charge
- How long do you charge for
Now we’ll take a closer look.
Car type and model
From Tesla to Toyota, the range in battery capacity is vast. One of the fastest-charging vehicles on the market today is the Tesla 3. It has a long-range capacity of 352 miles and typically takes 10-to-12 hours on an overnight home charge or 30 minutes on a rapid charger to power up. Compare that to a hybrid like the Audi e-tron range; it’ll take you at least 9 hours to fully power up.
So, the main factor affecting charging time will be the battery type in your electric vehicle and how empty your battery is when you plug in. The bigger the car battery, the more miles of range you get, but the slower it’ll be to charge from flat to full.
Charger type
Home chargers – Home charging points typically have lower power wattage, which is ideal for charging the battery overnight. This is the best way to look after the overall health of your electric car battery.
Rapid chargers – Then, on the other end of the scale, you’ve got super speedy rapid chargers. These will top up a vehicle when you’re taking a pit stop on a longer journey. Rapid charging is among the most common ways electric car drivers top up when out and about.
One of the least common public chargers is the Combo CCS 350 kW, a rapid charger. One of the most common public charging points is the Type 2 Mennekes 22 kW or 7kW fast connectors. The slower the charging point, the longer it’ll take. A 22kw battery is going to take less time than a 70kw to fill up.
When and where do you charge
Using a home charging point, with a plug and wall box installation, will cost less per mile than plugging in using a public charging point at a motorway service. Avoid losing charge at the wrong time by charging effectively at home.
Home chargers come in a few forms, a three-pin plug charge will take between 24-to48 hours to fill up. The 3.6kW or 7kW home chargers will give you a decent charge over a 12-hour period.
How long do you charge for
Very generally speaking, a top up charge of 30 minutes on a non-rapid public charger will add around 30 miles onto your car. But the rule is, a longer charge on a lower wattage is the cheaper, healthier way to charge for your electric car.
How long does it take to charge a Tesla?
We’ll get into charge times for the top electric cars a little later. First up, let’s look at the ins and outs of charging a Tesla.
When it comes to charging time this car is known for speed. The Tesla 3 has the fastest charging times. They recommend home charging as the main option, rapid chargers should only be used for an on-the-road solution.
Compare charging times form empty to full with different chargers in the table below.
Tesla 3
| Optimum charger type | Estimated charging time |
| 7kW | 8 – 12 h |
| 22kW | 5 – 8 h |
| 50kW | 40 – 60 min |
| 150kW | 20 – 20 min |
Which are the fastest-charging electric cars?
Putting the Tesla 3 aside, let’s look at some of the other makes and models of electric vehicles out there right now, which charger gives the best charge, and how long that charge takes.
| Model and make | Optimum charger | Charging time and range |
| Volvo XC40 PHEV | Type 2, Max AC 3-phase rate: 3.7kW | 3 hours, 9m/h |
| Audi e-tron 50 | Rapid CCS Max DC rate: 150kW | 30mins, 147m/h |
| Tesla Model S | Max DC rate: 100 – 200kW | 20mins, 169 – 260 m/30 min |
| Polestar 2 | Rapid CCS Max DC rate: 150kW | 20 mins, 251 m/30 min |
| Porsche Taycan | Rapid: CCS Max DC rate: 225kW | 20 mins, 251 m/30 min |
Which is the best electric car for charging?
Which is best will be a personal choice. Factoring budget, cost and your car needs, a hybrid might be a great fit.
However, if you’re regularly making journeys of 100 miles or more, you’re going to want a bigger battery that’ll give you more power.
Hybrids, explained – A hybrid car has a small petrol or diesel engine along with an electric battery used to convert electrical energy to mechanical energy. Compared to a pure electric car, they have smaller batteries that hold less charge and are more ideal for shorter journeys.
How long does an hour of charging last?
This depends on the kind of charger you use and how well your electric vehicle battery holds charge. Take the Tesla 3 for example, time it takes to charge? Just 20 minutes of rapid charging on a 150kW charger will give you 288 – 339miles of range.
Compare this to the EV hybrid, Audi e-tron. Like most hybrid batteries, they don’t support rapid chargers and are generally slower to fill up. The Audi e-tron GT released in 2021, for example, needs a 9hr charge to go from empty to full using a 22kW charger.
What’s the best way to charge my EV battery?
Just like your mobile or any other electrical device you own with a battery, if you take care of the battery from the off, it’ll last longer. Your battery type will have the best charge when it’s matched to the right charger. So if you have a 50 kilowatt-hour battery, you’ll want to find a 50kw charger to get the optimum charge.
Battery size and type
The battery types in each car are named by KiloWatt hours, (kWh, for short). This is a nod to how long the charge will last.
The two main types of car battery you’ll find in an electric vehicle are the lithium-ion battery (used by the likes of Tesla and Jaguar.) Or the nickel-metal hydride battery, used more often in hybrid vehicles.
If your battery is empty, it will need to reach an ideal 80%.
You also need to consider whether or not your EV battery will accept a faster charge from different types of chargers.
Types of chargers
There are slow, fast, and rapid chargers for you to choose from.
The slowest chargers are the three pin plug home chargers. Fast chargers are rapid chargers you’ll find in public charging points such as the 7kW, 22kW or rapid 50kW.
Compare a range of chargers to find the right fit.
Does charging an electric car take longer at home?
Short answer, yes. It takes longer to charge a car at home. The time it takes to charge at home depends on the factors we’ve run over above. It’s generally agreed if you plug into your wall box overnight it’ll supply you with between 10 to 30 miles per hour.
Home charger vs rapid charger
Plugging in overnight and charging at home using a lower wattage is the best way to charge your EV. And your car’s battery will thank you for it later. Cons, you’re not going to be within easy reach of your home or have the range of connectors you might find at public charging stations.
You’ll find an increasing range of public chargers as motorways begin catering for the motorist looking to rapid charge in the middle of the day, then get back on the road for another long stretch of driving. You can add hundreds of miles of charge to your battery in as little as 30 minutes as the charger alternates rapidly between DC and AC currents to improve the quality of the charge.
How do I know which EV I should buy?
If you’re using your car for short trips, perhaps you live in a small town or tend to work from home, then a nippier model with a smaller battery will suit you. If you’re looking for a car with more mileage, you will need a bigger battery to store more charge.
Recap
Choosing electric over petrol and diesel comes with some hefty pros. Not only is the shift away from fossil fuel a better choice for the environment, but you can also save money each month, especially if you’re clever about how and when you choose to charge.
How long your electric car charges depends on many factors covered in the guide above. In summary, the bigger the car battery, the longer the charge, the more longevity you’ll get from your car. Look at our guide on EV chargers to find the perfect fit.
The post first appeared on Rightcharge Guides.
