EV Charging 101: EV Charging Speed Guide

Meta Description: Compare different EV charging speeds and learn how much range you can add to your electric vehicle in 30 minutes or an hour with various charger types.

How fast can I charge my ev with this charger?

This is one of the most common questions when deciding to purchase an EV charger. However, the answer is a bit more complex than it may seem. In this blog post, we’ll explore the key factors that significantly affect the charging speed of your AC home charging devices (e.g., wallboxes or portable chargers).

1. Formulas to Calculate Charging Time & Range per Hour

Before we dive into the complex picture of factors influencing charging power, here are two key formulas:

Charging Time of Your Electric Car (hrs) = battery capacity (kWh) / charging rate (kW/hr)

Range per hour= charging rate (kW/hr) x 1 hour / energy efficiency (kWh/km)

2. Factors that limit the charging rate

While the battery capacity is typically provided by the manufacturer, determining the charging rate can be more complex. Contrary to the common misconception that EV chargers with higher power always charge at faster rates, the charging speed of an EV is also influenced by the following factors:

• Maximum Charging Rate Allowed by the Vehicle's OBC(On-board charger)
• Maximum Charging Rate Allowed by the EV Charger
• Home Power Output (e.g., Single-phase/Three-phase, Socket Type)

 Whichever of these three factors has the lowest charging rate will set the maximum charging speed for your EV.

3. 80 % rule

Have ever heard about the 80% rule? The 80% charging rule used to be a golden standard for battery health. Traditionally, EV manufacturers recommended stopping your EV charge at 80% to prevent battery degradation.

But here's the truth: It depends on your battery type! If your EV uses Lithium iron phosphate or LFP batteries, go ahead and charge to 100% occasionally. If your EV uses nickel-rich or (NMC) batteries, the 80% rule might still apply.

So check your car manufacturer's specifications about the battery type and decide which charge limit works for you.

 

4.Real-life example

Taking all of these factors into account, we can roughly estimate how much range you'll get with your AC EV charger.

For example, if your EV has an OBC that supports 11 kW from an AC power outlet and you're using our PC200 3.6 kW charger with a Schuko plug and adjustable current (6-16 amperes), let's break it down:

Assuming the voltage is 230V, and after consulting with your electrician, you've decided that 8A is the safest current to charge at home. In this case, the highest charging speed will be 1.8 kW/hr.

If you're mainly using your EV for daily city commutes (around 40 km), with an energy efficiency of 0.165 kWh/km, you'll only need about 3.67 hours to recharge for your daily drive, provided you charge before the power drops to 20%.

Calculation:
3.67 hours = (40 km * 0.165 kWh/km) / 1.8 kW/hr

Explore more posts in the EV Charging 101 series to learn additional insights about EV charging.