Electric car charging speeds explained | RAC Drive (2024)

Introduction

When you fill up with petrol or diesel you know that, in most cases, your car will be refuelled and ready to go within a few minutes.

It’s harder to say how long it will take to charge an electric car, but it needn’t be the barrier to entry it was a decade ago.

The speed of public charging is increasing all the time. Eventually, we could reach a point where recharging scarcely takes longer than filling up with fuel.

Until then, charging time is an important consideration when it comes to running an electric car.

Charging speeds vary, from as little as 15 minutes using an ultra-rapid 350kW charger, to as much as 24 hours when relying on a domestic three-pin plug.

If you’re considering the purchase of an electric car, or you’re a new EV owner planning your first journeys, our guide to charging speeds will help.

Electric car charging speed calculator

The time it takes to charge an electric car depends on the size of the battery and the power output of the charger. You can use these values to calculate how long it will take to charge your EV.

Battery size (kWh) ÷ Charger power (kW) = Charging time (hours)

We can use this calculation to work out the length of time it takes to charge three popular EVs with varying battery sizes.

A Renault Zoe with a 52kWh battery will take just over an hour to charge using a typical 50kW rapid charger.

Moving up a size, a Kia e-Niro with a 64kWh battery will be charged in about an hour and a half.

Alternatively, the 70kWh battery in the Tesla Model 3 Long Range requires around an hour and three quarters. It’s worth noting that many Model 3 owners will use Tesla’s Supercharger network, with typically 172 miles of charge available in just 15 minutes.

Charging speed at home

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Charging at home is the most convenient and cost-effective way to charge an electric car. Stick the EV on charge when you arrive home from work and you’ll wake up to a fully charged car in the morning.

Get into a routine and you could find that you rarely require the public charging network. One thing’s for sure: queuing at a petrol station will be a thing of the past.

You have two options when charging at home: using a domestic three-pin plug socket or a dedicated wall box.

While a domestic socket is fine for occasional use, a wall box will deliver faster and safer charging for EV owners. Without one, it could take longer than a day to charge an electric car with the biggest battery.

Pod Point is one of the UK’s providers of home wall boxes. It offers three power outputs: 3.6kW, 7kW and 22kW. The company also provides an online calculation of the time it will take to charge various electric cars.

Using the Renault Zoe as an example, Pod Point quotes the following times:

  • 3.6kW: less than 7 hours
  • 7kW: less than 4 hours
  • 22kW: less than 2 hours

Costs vary, but a 3.6kW wall box could cost as little as £450 after the government’s Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) grant.

It’s worth noting that 22kW wall boxes require three phase power, which is rare and expensive to install. A 3.6kW or 7kW charger will be suitable for most EV owners.

Public charging speed

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At the last count, there were around 15,000 electric car charging locations in the UK, amounting to around 23,500 devices. The number is growing all the time, as the country gears up for the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars.

You’ll find charging points in car parks, motorway service areas, outside restaurants and at dedicated charging hubs.

Other locations include high streets, supermarkets and hotels. Some are open to all, while others require a subscription. Tesla owners enjoy access to their own Supercharger network of rapid chargers.

Here are the charging speeds you'll find at these public electric car chargepoints.

Non-rapid charging speed

Typically 6-12 hours

Also known – confusingly – as 'slow' or 'fast' charging, the reality is that this isn’t a particularly quick way to charge an electric car.

A slow charger could be rated as little as 3kW or 7kW, while up to 50kW is considered fast. Anything beyond that falls into the rapid category.

A 3.6kW output is commonly associated only with home charging, and5.5kW is the typical rating of a lamppost charging unit.

A charge time of up to 12 hours makes slow charging unsuitable for anything other than home, workplace or hotel use.

Using a Nissan Leaf with a 40kWh battery as an example, you can expect to achieve a full charge in six hours when using a 7kW or 22kW charger.

You can use some slow and fast chargers for free. For example, the Tesco, Volkswagen and Pod Point partnership provides free access to 7kW chargers in superstore car parks throughout the UK.

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Rapid charging speed

Typically 20-60 minutes

A 43kW rapid AC charger will charge an electric car in 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the battery and the state of charge upon arrival at the charging point.

Similarly, a 50kW rapid DC charger will replenish a battery to 80 percent in 20 minutes to an hour.

Ultra-rapid charging speed

Typically 20-25 minutes

Ultra-rapid chargers deliver power at 100kW or more, typically at 100kW, 250kW, 270kW or 350kW.

These represent the future of EVs, though the fastest technology is currently limited to the most expensive electric cars, such as the Porsche Taycan, Audi e-Tron GT and BMW iX.

Take the Audi e-Tron GT. A full charge can be achieved in as little as 23 minutes when using an ultra-rapid charger, but this increases to 9.5 hours when using a 11kW non-rapid device.

Even an EV able to accept a maximum of 50kW can use an ultra-rapid charger, albeit at a lower rate.

There are around 400 Ionity 350kW ultra-rapid charging stations across Europe, with a minimum six charging points per station. Users must download an app before paying 69p per kWh.

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Tesla Supercharger speed

Typically under 40 minutes

The Tesla Supercharger network boasts 2,000 stations with 20,000 chargers across the world. A Tesla should be fully charged within 40 minutes when using a 150kW V2 Supercharger.

There are also approximately 130 V3 Superchargers with a capacity of 250kW. These are able to charge at a rate of 1,000 miles added per hour.

While owners of older Tesla models enjoy free access to the Supercharger network, new customers pay around 28p per kWh.

Tesla owners can also use standard Type 2 chargers, although it’s worth noting that only Tesla drivers can use the Supercharger network.

What affects charging time for an electric car?

Aside from the battery size and charging unit, a number of external factors will influence the charging time for an electric car.

You may know that cold weather will reduce the range of an EV, but it can also slow the rate at which it charges.

Research shows that extreme heat can also have a negative impact on battery health, reducing its capacity over a long period of time.

This will result in shorter range estimates and the need for more frequent charging. Parking in the shade will help to the minimise the effects of extreme heat.

Electric cars generally charge to 80 percent at a faster pace, then slow down to protect the batteries. This, combined with the fact that you’re unlikely to arrive at a charging station with zero range, means that you’ll rarely fully recharge a battery.

Renault has developed a handy tool for calculating the charging time of the Zoe EV when using a range of different chargers.

Saving time by planning ahead

If you’re travelling to an unfamiliar place or driving to a holiday destination, you might plan ahead by searching for petrol stations. You should do the same when driving an electric car.

The UK is well served by a network of public chargers, so you’ll almost certainly find somewhere to charge on route. However, using a tool such as the Zap-Map live map will tell you if the chargers are working.

There’s even a handy route planner tool, which allows you to select filters such as driving range, average speed and elevation.

Charging at home is always preferable to relying on the public network. You’re guaranteed a full charge and can save energy on the move by preheating or cooling the car’s cabin using the preconditioning function.

To get the most up-to-date charging prices, click here.

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Conclusion

While charging an electric car will take longer than filling up with petrol or diesel, it needn’t be too time-consuming.

There's even the big advantage of leaving the house each day with a 'full tank' thanks to home charging.

With some forward planning and home charging, you could find that running an EV is more convenient than driving a car with an internal combustion engine.

Need more information? Read our definitive guide and tips for EV buyers.

The RAC is leading the way when it comes to supporting drivers in the switch to electric vehicles.

An ever-increasing number of our patrol vans have built-in emergency mobile charging systems capable of giving an out-of-charge electric car enough power to be driven a short distance home or to a working chargepoint, while our All-Wheels-Up recovery system allows our patrols to safely rescue electric cars with no need for a flatbed.

Find out more aboutthe RAC’selectric car breakdown cover, car repairs, from mobile mechanics or the RAC Approved Garage network.

Learn more

Read next in Charging an electric car

Read our guide tocharging electric carsnext.

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Return to the RAC Drive Electric cars hub

Read our guides onchoosing, charging and running an electric car.

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FAQs

Electric car charging speeds explained | RAC Drive? ›

Typically 6-12 hours

How do you understand EV charging speed? ›

kW is the size of the hose and kWh is the flow through the hose. You can get the same amount of energy (kWh) no matter the size of the hose (kW), but the bigger the hose, the faster you can get that energy. The higher the kW, the faster you can charge, and the lower the kW the slower you can charge.

What is the best speed to drive an EV? ›

Monitor your speed

Whilst the most efficient speed in an EV is below 10mph, this is not realistic for those on longer journeys, although it highlights why EVs are well suited for city driving. If you're travelling faster try to keep your speed constant. Close windows at 45mph and above as this will reduce drag.

Is it better to charge an EV fast or slow? ›

Is slow charging better for your EV battery? Technically, yes, slow charging is better for your EV battery. That said, slow charging is exactly what it says on the tin – slow – meaning it is not a sustainable way to charge your electric car unless you are prepared to charge for over 18 hours (or sometimes a full day).

How fast is 50kW charging speed? ›

At a 50kW rapid charger it will take approximately 52 minutes to charge fully. It's common for electric car owners to use the 'Top-up charging' method.

Should I charge my EV to 80 or 90? ›

To maintain optimal battery health, it is generally recommended to fully charge an EV only when necessary, such as for long trips that require maximum range. For everyday use, it is recommended to keep the battery level between 80% and 90%.

Why is my EV charging so slowly at a fast charger? ›

Battery Capacity and Maximum Output Power

If the EV charger's output power is higher than the vehicle's maximum charging power, the charging speed will be limited by the power of the EVs. This is because electric vehicles cannot handle the same power output, contributing to a fast charger not charging fast.

Does driving speed affect EV range? ›

Higher speeds require more energy, reducing your EV's range. Try to stick to the speed limit and avoid unnecessary high-speed driving. Aggressive driving with rapid acceleration and braking can drain the battery faster. To maximize your range, drive smoothly and maintain a steady speed.

Do electric cars use more electricity at higher speeds? ›

Higher speeds require more energy than lower speeds. Additionally, the general rate at which driving will drain the battery varies based on how much energy you use on other power-draining items in this list. Steady driving at highway speed drains the battery much faster than driving in stop-and-go traffic.

What is considered fast charging for an EV? ›

Fast charging

A 7kW home charger will deliver charging speeds three times faster than a domestic plug, while a 22kW charger will be 10 times faster. Charging times vary depending on the unit and electric car in question, but a 7kW charger should deliver a full charge in four to six hours.

Is it better to charge EV every day? ›

How often should you charge your electric vehicle? For everyday urban journeys of less than 30 km, it's not necessary to charge your car every day. However, if you use your vehicle for long journeys (going on holiday or away for the weekend, etc.), you should plan several daily charges.

Can I slow charge my EV every night? ›

Generally speaking, don't charge every day unless you need to. Natural degradation may occur in the battery based on the number of charging cycles that are used over its lifespan. EV Battery performance and durability can deteriorate if the charger is used constantly.

Why is it cheaper to charge an EV at night? ›

It may be cheaper

In order to convince more people to charge during off-peak hours, many electrical utilities are providing discounted rates for electricity during this time.

What determines EV charging speed? ›

How long will it take to charge my EV? Exact charging speed is determined by three factors: the capacity of your EV's cord, the charging equipment's power level and the temperature where you're charging. The length of time to charge up fully at each power level also depends on your EV battery size.

How fast will a Tesla charge at 50kW? ›

Charging time for a Tesla Model 3
20%-80%
50kWPublic Locations40 - 60 min
150kWPublic Locations20 min
Apr 9, 2024

What is the maximum charging speed for EV? ›

These are typically either 100 kW, 150 kW, or 350 kW – though other maximum EV charging speeds between these figures are possible.

How do you calculate EV charging speed? ›

The RAC states that charging can take as little as 15 minutes using a 350kW charger, to 24 hours if you're relying on a three-pin plug. To calculate the approximate charging time for your EV, you can use a simple formula: battery size (kWh) / charger power (kW) = charging time (hours).

How do I know if my EV charger is fast? ›

Charger labels

At the bottom, lightning bolt icons signify the charger's power—the higher the kilowatt (kW), the greater the power. Our charging stations offer three connectors: Green Hyper-Fast labels indicate CCS connectors delivering up to 350 kW.

How do I know charging speed? ›

Your primary alternative to using an app on your smartphone is to purchase a voltage meter or similar device. This lets you measure the electricity flowing into your Android device quickly and effectively. It's mechanically accurate and one of the best ways to diagnose a faulty or irregular charger.

How fast is a 30 amp EV charging speed? ›

For example, the Clipper Creek LCS-30 uses a 30 amp circuit and supplies 24 amps of current at 240V, which is 5.8 kW of power. That will allow a typical EV to travel 20 miles after one hour of charging (20 mph of charge). A 50 amp charger using a 50 amp circuit supplies 40 amps, 9.6 kW, which is 32 mph of charge.

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