How Long Do Electric Cars Take To Charge?

Well, the popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) is growing quickly. Around the world, there are a lot of individuals who drive electric cars, and by 2030, that number is predicted to rise to 140 million. It might be challenging to estimate how long it will take an electric automobile to charge. This question does not have a simple, obvious solution. The amount of time it takes to charge an electric vehicle depends on a number of variables, including the charging station and its power output, the battery size, current charge level, and the charging capability of EVs. Let's talk in-depth about how long it takes to charge an electric vehicle. Learn how the different variables impact charging time and speed.

How Long Does It Take An Electric Car To Charge?

The time it takes to charge an electric car depends on the battery and the charging point, as we already said. This work may be completed at home or at any public charging station. It might take days or only a few minutes for charging sources to significantly charge a battery. At various charging levels, we can accurately anticipate how long it takes to charge an electric vehicle. Just be aware that your estimate might change somewhat or dramatically based on several factors.

Levels of Charging for Electric Vehicles (EV):

The charging sources sometimes referred to as the charging level or charging speed, totally determine how long it takes to charge an electric vehicle. How rapidly an EV can charge is significantly influenced by the charging source. For electric cars (EVs), there are now three charging levels: level 1, level 2, and level 3 (also known as DC fast charging), which are as follows:

How Is An EV Charged? What Kind Of Current Is Used?

Batteries for electric vehicles utilize and store direct current (DC). Although Level 1 and Level 2 chargers utilize Alternative current (AC), they convert AC to DC aboard the car. In contrast, Level 3 charging (also known as DC Fast Charging) delivers DC power directly to the battery. This is due to the fact that the AC to DC conversion takes place within the charging station, away from the vehicle. Level 3 charging, often known as rapid charging or DC, bypasses the laborious conversion procedure and feeds electricity straight to the EV battery.

Level 1 Charging (AC): Level 1 charging occurs when you put your electric car into the regular socket that came with your automobile to charge it. This charger may have one end connected to any common 120V outlet and the other end straight into the car. The standard EV battery takes a long time to fully charge using these residential socket chargers, which are the slowest method of charging an EV. In 20 hours, it can recharge a 200 km (124 km) car. This kind of charger uses AC (alternating current) electricity and may be suitable for vehicles like plug-in hybrids that have smaller battery packs. You may always charge your electric vehicle using level 2 or level 3 chargers.

Level 2 Charging (AC): To charge an electric vehicle at Level 2 Charging, a charging station must be either installed on a wall, pole or on the ground (EV). Although you may frequently buy the automobile and the chargers together, they are offered separately. The setup for these chargers is a little more challenging. With Level 2 chargers, several charging choices are available. With a 7.4 kW charger, a one-hour charge may give you around 25 miles of range; an 11 kW charger, about 37 miles; and a 22 kW charger, about 75 miles.

These chargers can fully charge an EV battery in 3–8 hours and have a power output of roughly 240 volts, which is seven times quicker than a Level 1 charger. Due to its increased power output, it also utilizes AC power and facilitates quick charging. The specific sites for these chargers are residential and business buildings. The majority of people who use electric vehicles at home rely on Level 2 charging; you may install it in your house for quicker charging. Even while it might be costly, it greatly lessens the burden of charging an EV at home. The level 2 charger is the most practical since it allows for the quickest home charging of an electric vehicle.

Level 3 Charging (DC Fast Charging): These stations are far more powerful than level 1 and 2 stations, allowing you to charge an EV much more quickly. They are also referred to as DCFCs or fast charging stations. Direct current (DC) electricity is used by Level 3 charging stations, which can be significantly more expensive than conventional charging stations due to their broad range of power output. So these chargers are widely used in short-stop sites like fleet depots and service stations.

You may expect your battery to reach 80% of its capacity in 30 to 45 minutes, however charging stations' speeds vary. Some Level 3 chargers produce up to 350 kW of power, which allows them to charge an EV in around 15 minutes and fill an empty battery in as little as 30 minutes. Comparing Level 3 chargers to Level 1 and 2 chargers, the DC Fast Charger, popularly known as Tesla Supercharger, considerably lowers charging time.

What Elements Influence EV Charging Speed?

As we just examined how long it takes to charge an electric vehicle, let's now look at the variables that determine how quickly EVs charge. The pace at which electric vehicles charge depends on a number of factors.

Battery Capacity: EV batteries come in a variety of sizes. The car will require a lot of time to charge if the battery capacity is high.

Battery level: If the EV battery is completely discharged, it will take longer to fully recharge than if you top it off at 50%.

Vehicle charging rate: The maximum charge rate that a vehicle's battery will accept is the only one that may be used. For instance, if the maximum charge rate for your car is 7 kW, utilizing a 22 kW ChargePoint won't allow you to charge it.

Additional environmental elements: How long it takes to charge an electric vehicle depends on a number of environmental parameters, including temperature, time of day, and necessary charge capacity. In contrast, if it's hot outside or the battery of an EV is heated from the weather, it will charge more quickly. EVs start to charge more slowly in cold weather (Very low temperatures).

What Is The Price Of Charging An Electric Car?

Compared to fueling an electric car with gasoline or diesel, charging an electric car is less expensive. The efficiency of an EV is expressed in kWh per 100 kilometers. The cost of energy (in dollars per kWh) and the vehicle's efficiency (how much power is utilized to drive 100 miles) must be known in order to calculate how much it costs to charge an electric car.

The cost of charging an electric vehicle at a public station depends on the network of charging stations and where they are located. Depending on the power rating, such as slow, fast, or rapid, the fees of public charging stations vary as well. According to Tesla, customers are charged 26p per kilowatt (or kilowatt-hour) wherever feasible. They charge by the minute in other places. Charging costs for non-Tesla owners change according to the network they utilize.

The majority of EV owners choose home charging as their primary method of charging their vehicles. The price of charging at home varies depending on how much you charge and what kind of charger you have. 75–100 kWh, or $10–$14, would be needed to completely recharge an electric car with a decent range of 300 miles. For quicker charging, many EV owners add a stronger Level 2 charger. This $550 charger uses an upgraded 240-volt circuit to provide 20 to 40 miles of range per hour.