You may see one automaker claim its EV can use fast charging to charge from 10% to 80% in 35 minutes, while another touts that its EV can add 100 miles of range in just 20 minutes. It's nearly. Contact online >>
You may see one automaker claim its EV can use fast charging to charge from 10% to 80% in 35 minutes, while another touts that its EV can add 100 miles of range in just 20 minutes. It''s nearly...
What really matters is the average charging rate and how long it takes to add real-world miles. We test from a 10 to 90 percent state of charge on the fastest equipment an EV can handle.
As the shift towards sustainable transportation continues accelerating, electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular for drivers looking for their next car. Understanding EV charging, particularly charging times, is crucial. This knowledge helps in everyday use and planning longer journeys. It also answers one of potential buyers’ main questions: How long does it take to charge an electric vehicle?
The demand for EVs is growing worldwide.Recent industry reportsshow that by 2030, almost 1 in 5 cars on the road, both in the United States and the European Union, will be electric, indicating the increasing acceptance of electric vehicles in these markets. Substantialimprovements in battery technologyand charging speeds underpin this growth. Modern EVs now boast batteries with higher voltages and more energy density, supporting faster charging capabilities and reducing the time it takes to charge an electric car.
Understanding the factors that affect how long it takes to charge an electric vehicle is vital to owning one. This article explores these aspects, offering insights into what electric car owners and potential buyers can expect regarding EV charging times.
The time it takes to charge an electric vehicle can vary significantly based on several critical factors. Understanding these can help drivers manage their electric car charging schedules and expectations effectively. Here’s a deeper look into these influencing factors:
Having explored the factors that influence how long it takes to charge an electric vehicle, it’s clear that the choice of charging station plays a pivotal role. Each type of charging station, categorized into distinct levels, offers varying power outputs and, consequently, different charging speeds. Understanding these levels is essential as it helps in planning charging sessions and choosing the right electric car and charging infrastructure to suit lifestyle and travel demands.
EV chargingis categorizedinto three levels. Each EV charging level offers different power outputs, directly affecting how long it takes to charge an electric car at a charging station. Here’s an overview of each level, including its typical EV charging times and range gained per hourof charging. These charging timesare basedon the averageusable energy of an electric car batteryof 71 kWh and theaverage energy consumptionof 300 Wh per mile.
Level 1 EV chargersare impracticaldue to their low charging speeds.Theyare almost always usedat home as a backup or a long-duration charging solution for EV owners with minimal daily mileage needs.
Level 2 EV charging is much faster than Level 1. It utilizes a 208/240V AC connection in the US, enabling a19.2 kW EV charger Europe,it uses a 230V (single-phase) or 400V (three-phase) connection, delivering up to 22 kW.
Level 2 EV chargers are suitable for residential, workplace, and other public locations such as hotels, retail parks, and supermarkets, where longer-duration parking is standard.
Level 1 and Level 2 charging delivers alternating current (AC) to electric vehicles, converted to direct current (DC) via an onboard charger before going to the battery.
Level 3 charging, also known asDC fast charging (DCFC), delivers DC instead of AC. This type of EV charging bypasses the car’s onboard charger, providing power directly to the battery for much faster charging times. These charging stations utilize a three-phase input and can output power from 30 kW to over 360 kW.
The EV range chart below indicates how much range can potentially be added to an an electric vehicle per hour of charging using different level charging stations.
These range per hour figures are estimates only and are based on the average energy consumption of an electric car of 300 Wh per mile. Range per hour can vary greatly depending on the efficiency of the vehicle, how it is driven, how full the battery is, and the charging curve..
Chargingtime(hours)= Batterycapacity(kWh) – Remaining battery capacity / Charging power (kW) or Charge acceptance rate of vehicle (kW), whichever is lower. See the illustration below.
The tapering effect is especially relevant for DC fast charging. As the battery approaches full charge, the charging speed will decrease to protect the battery’s life and health. This tapering means the last 20% of the battery might charge slower than the first 80%.
Each electric vehicle has a unique charging curve that dictates how long it takes to charge.Thismeans you could have two electric cars with the same DC charge acceptance rate, but whentheyare pluggedinto a charging station, they both charge differently based on their unique charging curve.
These unique charging curves make it difficult to estimate how long it takes to charge an electric vehicle with a DC fast charging station. An electric vehicle’s average charge rate, when charging between 10% and 80%, can vary between 40% and 90% of the vehicle’s maximum charge acceptance rate. The table below shows examples of electric cars’ maximum charge acceptance rates compared to their average charge rate.
As you can see from the table above, each electric vehicle’s charging time will differ based on its unique charging curve; this makes the previous formula not applicable for DC fast charging. You will need to review the specifications for the specific electric vehicle to understand the charging time when using a DC fast charger.
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