How Long Does It Take to Charge an Electric Vehicle? Your Car’s Charging Speed Explained

What do you need to know about how fast your EV charges?

When you think of buying an electric car you probably worry about charging it. It seems to be the focus of so many EV conversations. With more and more people aware of the environment, electric cars are gaining in popularity. In this article we’ll talk about the factors that affect charging speed. Ready to learn more? Let's go!

4 Ways Charging Your EV is Different from Filling Up Your Car

Charging an EV is different to refueling a car.

• You have to connect it to a charger. You don’t go to a petrol station. That’s probably obvious!
• It takes more time to charge an EV than a petrol car.
• You can charge your EV at home using a charging station. Now, that’s convenient (and not smelly). You can’t do that with a gas car! 😛
• Fast chargers make for quicker charging. You’ll find those at public charging stations.

You’ve been familiar with the whole gas-car-filling thing from birth. This new way of fueling your car will take some different thinking and different habits. Mostly they will be positive changes.

What Influences Electric Vehicle Charging Speed?

Many factors decide how quickly or slowly your electric car battery can be charged. The main ones include:

• The type of charger.
  • Home chargers, most at-work chargers, and other “destination chargers” at restaurants, cafés and hotels, are generally slower chargers that direct AC current into your car. Your car’s onboard inverter converts the AC to DC to feed the battery.
  • Fast chargers bypass the onboard inverter and feed DC directly to the battery. That’s why DC charging is only found at public DC fast charging stations. Direct Current (DC) chargers charge faster than regular home chargers.
• Every EV battery has a maximum charge rate. This rate varies by model.
• The power output of the charging station. The lower the power output, the longer the charge will take.

Also important are:

Battery condition, age, and temperature (the climate, and the temperature of the battery).

What is the Difference Between AC and DC Fast Charging?

AC charging and DC fast charging have different speeds.

• AC charging, is called level 1 or 2 charging and uses an alternating current.
• DC fast charging, also known as level 3 charging, uses direct current.

AC charging usually takes longer. Level 1 uses a normal household outlet and can take several hours to fully charge an electric vehicle. Don’t be put off by this. Most people drive such small distances per day on average, that they can be plugged in just a couple of times per week at home, even if you just have a Level 1 charger.

Level 2 is faster and can charge a vehicle in a few hours. If you want to a faster charger at home (in the US) you will have your electrician install a 240V circuit for your Level 2 charger. Again, you would plug your car in just one or two times per week for regular commutes and errands.

DC fast charging is much quicker. This type of charger is usually found at public charging stations. It can charge an electric vehicle up to 80% in 30 minutes. This is ideal for long trips or when a quick recharge is needed.

Important Note: Not all electric vehicles are compatible with DC fast chargers. Some need extra equipment to use one. How your car is charged and the connectors you use will definitely be part of your research when looking to buy, or charge, an electric car.

Why Does My Charging Speed Slow Down as I Charge?

Here’s a rule of thumb: Generally, it takes as long to charge an electric car from 20 – 80% as it does to charge the final 20% (from 80 – 100%). This is called decreasing charging speed phenomenon. Why is that?

Well, think of an empty battery as an empty theater. When you walk in, you can easily find a seat. As the theater fills, it becomes harder and harder to find an empty seat. Apply that same logic to electrons looking for a place in the battery, and you can see how the rate of charge reduces the higher the State of Charge (or SoC) of the battery.

As a result, as the car battery charges, it needs more time and energy to reach a higher state of charge. Some chargers may also have a maximum charge rate.

There are different phases of charging. Initially, it charges quickly from 20% to 80%. After this, the battery nears its maximum capacity and takes longer to accept energy.

The charger's power level can also affect the speed. A higher-powered charger will charge quicker than a lower-powered one.

You can use this phenomenon (of slower charging in the final 20%) at public DC chargers. If you’re in a hurry, or if there is a long line of cars waiting for the charger, then simply charge to 80% SoC. You’ll have more than enough charge to drive for another 3 hours when you’ll more than likely be wanting to stretch your legs. And… you’ll save time!

Calculate Charging Time of Electric Vehicle

Below is a table of a rough guide to charge times for using the different level chargers. These show quite a range because of the many specs of the batteries themselves and the speed of the charger:

* Standard domestic supply in the US is 120V. A dedicated 240V circuit is required for a Level 2 EV charger. 240V supply is standard in other countries such as Australia and UK.

Note that exact charging times can differ depending on factors such as battery size and state of charge. A bigger capacity battery with a lower SoC (if the car plugs in at 20% charge) will take longer to charge than a smaller battery that plugs in at 50%). The same applies to gas cars: It takes less time to fill up a i30 than a 4WD.

Instead of slow charging (with Level 1 at home) you can speed up charging with Level 2 or Level 3 chargers to get the most out of your electric vehicle. Invest in a reliable Level 2 charging station to reduce charge time. Unlock the full potential of your EV by understanding charging speed parameters and enjoy a great EV ownership experience.

Other Factors To Consider When Charging an EV

Factors Influencing Electric Vehicle Charging

When charging an electric car, there are many components to take into account besides charging time. These aspects can affect how efficient and convenient it is to charge your vehicle.

Such factors are represented in the table below:

*What is extreme cold and extreme heat?

At normal temperatures, a battery operates normally! Extreme cold is defined as below 20F (or -6C) and extreme hot is above 95F or 35C. Most people drive or store cars within these extremes and so that means your car will operate well. Your car likes temperate climates. To combat problems of extreme temps, a battery can be preconditioned before charging, and the car can be preconditioned (heated or cooled) before driving to optimize operation.

Battery preconditioning is something unique to EVs. This means prepping the battery before charging. This optimizes temperature and condition for faster, more effective charging.

A Word About 400V Versus 800V Architecture

You may have heard the term “voltage architecture” when describing an electric car. But, what is it and how does it affect how you charge your car?

Every ICE and EV has a 12V battery which runs electrical systems and some accessories (like radios). In addition, a BEV has another separate lithium-ion or other battery that is 400 – 800V.

Most Cars are Built on Lower Voltage Architecture

Up until fairly recently all electric cars were built on a 400V architecture (or less). For example: a Model 3 Tesla battery is 350V. Model X is 375V and Model Y is 400V.

However, we can expect that 800V architecture will, within a few years, become the industry norm. It’s already found in Audi, Hyundai, Kia and Porsche.

What’s the Big Deal with 800V?

The doubling of the voltage of the battery halves the charging time. So why isn’t every manufacturer doing this?

Well, an 800V architecture is more expensive to engineer. That cost will diminish with widespread uptake of EVs.

Here are the advantages of an 800V architecture electric car:

• Higher voltage means lower current.
• Lower current means thinner, smaller electrical componentry.
• Thinner lighter wires etc means the car is lighter and more efficient.
• Battery structure combats overheating and improves thermal efficiency.
• Greater efficiency means greater range.
• Lower current to charge means lower heat generation.
• Lower heat means less reliance on power-hungry battery cooling systems.
• Double car voltage: Halve time to charge.

In the future, with evolving battery technology, and coupled with 800V architecture, we should see very much reduced charge times (and as little as 10 minutes to charge to 80%).

What’s the Catch with 800V Architecture?

You have the improvements in efficiency and the vehicle is lighter (all good!), but an 800V EV doesn’t help you charge faster using an AC charger. It is useful to use an ultra-rapid fast DC charger that has charge speeds of over 300kW. While this is not available everywhere, it will be, and in the meantime, the other benefits are worth it.

For a practical example: It won’t make a difference to charge time if you have a 400V car and you roll up to a 350kW charger as your car won’t have the capacity to charge as fast as one with 800V.

It’s worth mentioning that Hybrid cars (which combine ICE and electric technologies) have a piddly 100 – 300V architecture which makes for very slow charging and poor efficiency.

You can get the most out of your EV when you know the specific limitations of the car you drive. (It’s similar to knowing with an ICE car that you need diesel instead of gas, or premium instead of standard.)

Will EV Charging Points Ever Be as Common as Gas Stations?

Will EV charging points ever be as common as gas stations? Here's an overview of the current state, future plans, and unique details to take into account:

• The quantity of charging points is surging quickly with the rising uptake of electric vehicles.
• Future battery tech improvements could lead to swifter charging times, making EVs even more attractive.
• Charging networks are being created to supply convenience and access for EV owners.
• Destination charging at hotels, restaurants, and shopping centers is getting more frequent to serve longer trips.
• And most importantly, 80% of electric car drivers charge AT HOME and infrequently at a public charger.

It's worth noting that while progress is being made, there are still elements limiting widespread EV charging availability. However, the future is optimistic for tech improvements such as wireless charging and battery swapping.

The benefits of wireless or inductive charging is a big area of experimentation at the moment. Not just charging pads in your garage, but parking bays on the road, and even a length of highway in Florida by a Norwegian green energy technology company. To stay ahead in this ever-changing landscape, it's essential to be informed of the newest developments in future charger technology and the growth of charging infrastructure. Don't miss out on the comforts and advantages that come with owning an electric vehicle.

With continuous developments in tech and increasing investments in charging infrastructure, it won't be long before EV charging points reach an appropriate level of prevalence so that you’ll always be close to a charger. Given your ability to charge at home and at many other destinations (hotels, restaurants and shopping centers), we may just find that pervasiveness is even better. It will take time.

Also worth adding in a line about 400V and 800V or a section in the article which I will work on.