Are you considering an electric car? You might be drawn by the positive environmental impact but be unsure of the car battery charging time. Is there such a thing as an electric car quick charge? This article aims to answer these questions and help you answer the question ‘How fast can you charge an electric car?
What Is The Charging Time For Electric Cars?
How long does an EV take to charge? The charging time for an electric vehicle can range from an electric car quick charge of half an hour to a maximum charge time of almost a day. Most drivers will prefer a series of top up charges for their vehicle, while others might let their battery run right down for a full charge in one go. You can also get rapid chargers which can add over 100 miles to your journey capacity. The charging time for electric cars will depend on the type of charger, the kW of the charger and the size and power of the car.
5 Things That Will Affect Your Electric Car Battery Charging Time
Car Battery Fast Charging Options
There are many quick charge batteries on the market that offer faster solutions to your traditional plug socket at home. A quick charge option can offer charging speeds of between 7kW and 22kW, making it possible to charge a car overnight. A traditional plug socket can take almost a full day to charge, making it far from ideal for power consumption and easy car use. This is because the car has to convert the energy from these chargers (alternate current), to a direct current, using a converter in the car.
There are also rapid charging options that operate at over 40kW but are only suitable for certain electronic vehicles. These also deliver alternate currents but at higher speeds. These are usually found in towns where people park up for a few hours and charge their vehicles. Ultra rapid charges of 50kW are also available, which provide direct current to the vehicle and allow it to charge in under half an hour in some cases.
Electric Car Charging Rates
How fast you can charge your electric car also depends on the rates you are willing to spend when charging your car. Although home charging takes longer, you can typically expect to pay around £15 for a full car charge (say a car with a 60kW battery aiming to travel around 200 miles). Rapid charge options can cost around the same at around £15 for a full charge (under 100 miles costing around £7.50).
The best way to charge your electric car is if you are fortunate enough to have free electric car charging at work or as part of your city parking services. Many of these in the UK are free for the public as part of the government’s zero-emission car initiative. Some of the rapid charging ports might not be suitable for your model – always check before attempting to charge your car using rapid charging functionality.
Battery Size
The size of your vehicle battery will also influence the rate at which your car charges. 15kW batteries or less can take around 4 hours to charge on slow or rapid charges of below 40kW, and around 40 minutes on a 43kW-50kW rapid charge. They won’t operate on very high rapid chargers and their total distance will be less than 30 miles. Models of 40kW can take between a quarter and half a day on charges of less than 7kW, but a 43kW rapid charge can take less than an hour. Their distance is much farther than lower battery models though at a distance of nearly 150 miles.
Only more recent Tesla Models like the Tesla Model S can operate on ultra rapid charges of 150kW, and they can be ready in less than 2 hours to travel distances of almost 240 miles. However, they also have larger batteries of 75kW which take longer to charge on slow or fast rates (as much as a full day on a slow charge). The size of the battery can have a huge difference on the charge rate. On average, the smaller the battery the faster the charge, however the less distance your car will be able to travel.
How Long Does An Electric Car Battery Last Before Recharging
Electric car batteries themselves can last for up to ten years. But the recharging times will vary greatly depending on the battery size. A 75kW battery can travel up to 240 miles on a full charge, whereas cars with smaller batteries will only travel comparatively smaller distances of less than 30 miles per hour. Your average car will last between 150 – 200 miles before it needs recharging. For short city drives, a smaller battery might be perfect for your needs. It depends on how often you drive, and what distances you need to travel. It also depends on factors like how quickly you need to use your car – for daily drives to work a 24 hour charge time won’t suit your requirements.
Technology
What is the fastest charging electric car? The answer to this varies day by day as new technologies emerge. One day it might be the Lucid Air, with a charge of 20 miles a minute, tomorrow a new contender emerges. The technology for electric cars is evolving constantly, with batteries adapting to run on reserves, save more energy, and run more efficiently. The changing technology will have a significant impact on how long it takes to charge an electric car.
How Can EV Solutions Help Me With My Electric Car
At EV Solutions, we can help by providing you with an EV Charge Point installation in your home or workplace. Our charge point catalogue can help you identify the best charging point for your electric car and budget. We have fast, rapid and ultra-rapid charge points available, with a range of connection options to suit your needs. Talk to us at EV Solutions to find out the best car charging point for you today.
