There are huge variations in how long it takes to charge an EV. From 3-pin sockets in your garage to 350kW DC chargers, it can be quite confusing. So we’ve broken the down the basics for you!

How long does it take to charge an EV? This is a bit like asking ‘how long is a piece of string?’ The answer is that it depends. There are a few reasons for this. One is that different batteries can have huge variances in size. And some batteries will accept a higher charge rate than others. But another factor is what type of charging unit you’re connected to.

It can all be very confusing, and even seasoned EV aficionados won’t know everything! So we’re going to break down some of the variables. We’re also going to look at some of the most popular EVs in Ireland as examples and explain just how long it takes to charge. We’ve kept the terminology to a minimum, but if you want some more information, then check out our handy glossary of EV Terminology and Buzzwords.

Battery size

The Honda e has one of the smallest batteries on the market currently. It will struggle to get much more than 200km on a single charge from its 28.5kWh usable battery. In contrast, the Tesla Model S has a battery of just under 100kWh, so it’s more than three times the size. As a result, you need to put a lot more energy back in to fill it up. But it will accept a faster charge and go a lot farther once it’s topped up!

Charging Curves

An EV’s charging curve is very important in determining how fast an EV will charge when connected to a Fast or High Powered charger. When you plug an EV into a Fast Charger, it will take its peak rate when close to empty. Typically, EVs will begin to slow down at around 50% full. Around 80-90% they will slow down further again. For example, the VW iD.4 will peak at 135kW early on. At around 50% full, it will slow to about 100kW. By the time it gets to 80%, it will drop to about 80kW. After that, it will slow right down as it approaches 100%. It’s also worth noting that most of the Fast Chargers in Ireland are still only capable of putting out about 50kW. In this case, the iD.4 would take 50kW all the way to nearly 90%.

AC vs DC

A very crude differentiation between AC and DC charging is that DC is much faster than AC. And you can read more about that in our other pieces on EV charging. Older Renault Zoe’s are one exception as they could charge up to nearly 45kW on AC.

Typical chargers in Ireland

In general, home chargers are AC units that will put out about 7kW. So if you have a 70kWh battery then it will take about 10 hours to fully charge. If you have a Model S with nearly 100kWh then you’re looking at about 14 hours. A Mazda MX-30 with a 30kWh usable will fill up in 5 hours, you just won’t go very far on that charge.

Some AC chargers in Ireland that have a 3-phase supply can put out 22kW on AC. You find these at some supermarkets and a lot of the ESB posts around the country. The Renault Zoe is pretty much the only car that can take that amount on AC though. Most EVs will take in the region of 7kW to 11kW on AC. So a Tesla Model 3 will take in the region of 5 hours to fully charge from 0%.

In Ireland, most DC chargers put out about 50kW. The majority of these units have been installed by ESB and EasyGo. It would take the likes of an IONIQ5 just over an hour to go from 10% to 80%. But we are starting to see some faster units come on board now from ESB such as the hub at J14 on the M7. Tesla Superchargers have long been capable of more than 100kW, with some V3 units now being installed. IONITY are a network owned by an international consortium including the likes of VW, Mercedes, and Hyundai. They have a few sites littered around Ireland that are capable of higher speeds, but in general, do not attain the 350kW speeds hoped for.

It is important to remember that your EV has to be capable of charging at these rates. If you own a Mazda MX-30, then no matter what DC charger you plug into, the car will never be capable of taking more than 37kW. The MG5, MG ZS EV, and the Hyundai Kona have peak rates of mid-70s even if you’re plugged into a 150kW charger. But if you find a DC charger fast enough, that same IONIQ5 can go from 10-80% in about 15 minutes!

So as you can see there are lots to consider. Let’s take a look at an example to illustrate some of the factors we have mentioned.

Example A – VW iD.4

Let’s say you arrive home in Kinsale at 10pm with 10% battery left in your VW iD.4. You plug into your home charger in a few seconds and go into your house. Although your iD.4 is capable of drawing 11kW on AC, your home charger on a single phase can only put out 7kW. So you’re back up to 100% by around 8am the next morning.

You hit the road at 9am on your way to Dublin. You’d normally make the trip in one charge, but let’s be extremely pessimistic here. It’s -1C outside, you have a lot of weight in the car and you were travelling at the speed limit, not holding back. You arrive at J14 on the M7 with 15% battery. You plug into one of the DC chargers there. They are capable of putting out 150kW but your iD.4 will only accept a peak of 135kW. In the 20 minutes that it took you to use the toilet and get a coffee, your iD.4 is back up to about 80%. You could stay longer to get to 90% or above. But because of the Charging Curve that we mentioned earlier, it will take a lot longer to charge that next bit. You are better off hitting the road and topping up again later if you need to.

Summary

So as you can see there are a few variables, and there is no single way to answer how fast it takes to charge an EV. But it’s important to remember that charging an EV should fit your lifestyle. You should consider what type of driving you do, and where you go. You might be surprised to see how little you will ever use the public network, or how little time it takes out of your day to charge up an EV.

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