How long does it take an EV to charge?

Electric Vehicle Charge Time

The world looks to be on the cusp of widespread EV adoption. Some old-time drivers, however, are still skeptical of electric charge times. They’ve spent their lives filling up their tanks at the gas station, and while this method is tried, true, and familiar, newfangled electric charging seems intimidating simply for its difference.

It’s a fair question: in an electric world, how long will we have to spend charging our vehicles? How long does it typically take an EV to charge?

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An electric vehicle can take anywhere from less than 30 minutes to more than 12 hours to charge. This variation is due to the variety of factors that affect charge time, such as the size of the battery and the speed of the charging point.

Battery Size Charge Time

The typical electric car comes with a 60kWh battery. This will take just under 8 hours to charge from empty to full when using a 6kW charging point. Home charging points typically have a power rating of 3.6kW or 7kW. This means an EV can be conveniently topped up on charge overnight and ready to go in the morning.

The fastest charging method, DC Fast Charging, can provide 60 to 200 miles of range in just 20 to 30 minutes, however. Compatibility with DC Fast Charging is often available as an optional feature on new hybrids, and is coming standard on more new EVs. This could be convenient if you’re planning on road tripping, as it would be quickly able to juice your vehicle up on-the-go.

No matter what level of charger your EV is rated for, you can still charge safely at any station it can plug into. The EV will simply charge at the maximum rate that it’s rated for.

Prospective EV Drivers Also Tend to Wonder: How common are public charging stations?

When do EV drivers typically charge?

Due to the fact that charging is indeed slower than fueling, EV drivers tend to top up their batteries at moments when they would have it parked anyway, such as at home and at work. Fast Charging comes in handy for juicing up while shopping or eating out. For this reason, EV drivers typically don’t spend a lot of time stressing about charge time from empty to full. More attention is paid to how many miles of range they can take on. Wondering what the benefits of going electric? Check out our 2021 Electric Vehicle Benefits guide!