How Long Does It Take to Charge an Electric Car?

How long does it take to charge an electric car? In this guide we will go through this commonly asked question and what particular methods are quicker than others

When it comes to charging an electric car, one of the major benefits is that it costs considerably less to top up your battery than it does to fill up the fuel tank on a car. However, this does come with the caveat that it takes longer to charge up than it does to spend a few seconds at a fuel pump. But how long does it really take to charge an electric car? We’re going to take a closer look at the question right here.

It depends on your car and the type of charger that you’re using

When looking at the empty-to-full charge time, the first thing you need to consider is the type of electric vehicle that you’re driving. For now, we will take a look at the average electric car battery, which is around 60kWh, which has an average range of about 200 miles.

• On a 3.7kW slow charger, this will take around 11 hours to charge fully
• On a 7kw or 22kW fast charger, it will take around 6 hours
• On a 43-50kW rapid charger, it will take around one hour

By comparison, let’s take a look at the latest Tesla Model S, which has a battery that has a capacity of 75KWh and a range of around 248 miles

• On a 3.7 kW slow charger, this will take around 21 hours to charge fully
• On a 7kW fast charger, it will take 11 hours
• On a 22kW fast charger, it will take around 5 hours
• On a 43-50kW rapid charger, it will take 2 hours
• Compatible with a 150kW rapid charger, which takes an hour

You need to know what car you’re driving, what the battery capacity is, and what kind of charger you’re using to estimate the charge time accurately, to put it simply.

About top-up charging

You can help your electric vehicle reach its full charge more quickly by relying on what’s called top-up charging. This means plugging your EV in whenever you part, whether it’s at home, at the workplace, or at the charge points that are growing more common around supermarkets and public spaces.

If you wait for the battery to empty, you will have to wait much longer for the car to reach a full charge. Make use of the time that your car is naturally parked in order to keep the battery topped up.

Pay attention to how much you get for an hour of charging

In most cases, drivers of electric vehicles aren’t going to be too concerned about charging from empty to full. Few people let their batteries empty fully before they plug it in again. Instead, you should take a closer look at how much range you per hour of charging, depending on what you’re charging from. If you leave your car charging for an hour while you’re in the gym, you should know how much range you can expect from it, for instance. Here are some typical figures:

• 3.7kW slow chargers offer up to 15 miles of charge per hour
• For 7kW fast chargers, that’s up to 30 miles per hour
• For 22kW fast chargers, it’s up to 90 miles per hour
• For 43-50kW rapid chargers, it’s up to 90 miles within 30 minutes
• For 150kW rapid chargers, it’s up to 200 miles for 30 minutes

The actual figure depends on a few factors, which is what we’ll take a closer look at next.

What affects your car’s charging speed?

As mentioned, the size of the battery in the car and the type of charger that you’re using will have the greatest influence over how long it takes you to charge your electric car. Those aren’t the only factors to consider, however. The state of the battery matters, as empty batteries, charge up more slowly at the start compared to batteries that are carrying a charge.

Vehicles have their own maximum charge rate, as do charge points, so you should be aware of both. The smallest maximum charge rate between the two is what the rate is actually likely to be. Cars charge more slowly on colder days, too, so bear that in mind.

In summary

It can take as little as 30 minutes to charge an electric car or as much as 12 hours. It all depends on the size of the battery, the efficiency of the car, and the type of charger that you’re using. Make sure you have all these details in mind, so you understand how much charge you actually get when you’re plugging in. If you're in the market for an electric vehicle, why not browse our electric car leasing offers?