Our expert answers a question from a Voltimum user of EV charging times.
Question:
I have just ordered my first EV and I’m concerned about charging times. How quickly will my new car charge?
Answer:
This depends on a few factors, including the current state of charge of the battery (as a battery gets closer to a full charge, charging rates usually slow) and ambient temperature (charging is slower in colder weather and faster when it is warmer). The two main factors though, are the charging power offered by the charger and the maximum charging rate supported by the EV itself. Only a few years ago, charging at 50 kW was considered fast and the majority of chargers still found at motorway services are 50 kW units. However, ultra-rapid (150 kW+) chargers are being installed in more and more locations and many newer cars can charge at rates of between 100 and 150 kW, with a few models being able to charge even faster. The limiting factor is the lower of the power offered by the charger and the charging rate of the car. For example, if you connect an EV that can charge at 100 kW, to a 50 kW charger, it will only charge at 50 kW. Similarly, a car that can only charge at 50 kW will not charge any faster when connecting it to an ultra-rapid charger.
When talking about DC charging, stated charging times are to 80% state-of-charge on the battery, after which charging rates usually reduce quickly.
For information about the charging time of a specific vehicle, there are a number of online resources, such as insideevs.com that show charging curves by model.
Technical Expert - ABB