With electric cars becoming the future of the automotive industry, a lot of questions are arising. Many of these questions surround electric car charging. From how long electric cars take to change to charging range and the cost of charging an EV, consumers are left without answers.
At Diepholz Auto, we’re on a mission to educate consumers about the electric car facts that matter most. That’s why we put together some of the most important aspects of electric car charging.
If you’ve ever been curious about how electric cars work and the actual cost to drive an electric car, you’ve come to the right place! Read to learn how long it takes to charge electric vehicles (EVs), how often they need to be charged, and the cost of charging.
How Long it Takes to Charge an Electric Car
The time it takes an electric car to charge can be as little as 30 minutes or more than 12 hours. But on average, an electric car (60kWh battery) takes just under 8 hours to charge from empty to full with a 7kW charging point.
How long it takes to charge an electric car will depend on the capacity of the battery, the type of charging port, and the speed of the power output. There are a few main factors that can affect the time it takes to charge an electric car. These include:
- Size of battery: The bigger your vehicle’s battery capacity, the longer it will take to charge (although the longer it will last).
- State of battery: If you are charging from empty, it will take longer to charge than if you are topping up from say 50%.
- Charging power of vehicle: You can only charge a vehicle’s battery at the maximum charge rate the vehicle can accept.
- Charging power of chargepoint: The time it takes to charge will also be limited by the max charging rate of the chargepoint you are using.
- Environmental factors: A colder temperature can make it take slightly longer to charge, particularly when using a rapid charger. Colder temperatures also mean vehicles are less efficient, so fewer miles are added per time charging.
But let’s talk about how top-up charging can affect the time it takes to charge. Top-up charging is when the driver charges the car when it’s not fully empty. Instead of letting the battery run empty and waiting while it recharges fully, drivers make use of the time their car is parked to keep the battery topped up. This means that the majority of the time, you won’t be charging from empty to full which will decrease the time it takes to charge your EV.
How to Charge Electric Cars
Electric car charging works by connecting the EV charge port to a power grid known as a charging station. Once connected to the charging station, electric cars use their charging port and onboard charger to convert the external power into battery charge. This means they don’t require traditional fluids like oil.
Even so, there are a lot of unanswered questions about how to charge electric cars. These answers can be explained by looking at the different levels of charging equipment.
- Level 1: Approximately 5 miles of range per 1 hour of charging and requires a J1772 connector. It requires no special equipment and is typically done at home, though it can quickly provide charging for most of your driving needs.
- Level 2: Approximately 25 miles of range per 1 hour of charging and requires a J1772 connector or Tesla connector. Level two is also typical for home charging and uses a 240-volt plug which needs to be installed by an electrician.
- Level 3: Approximately 100 to 200+ miles of range per 30 minutes of charging and requires a CCS connector, CHAdeMO connector, or Tesla connector. Level three charging can deliver up to 100 miles of power in about 20 minutes of charging. These are the commercial charging stations you’ll see in parking lots and around town.
Electric Car Charging Time Chart
Since the amount of time it takes an electric car to charge depends on the type of charging power, it can help to understand the levels of charging. When it comes to electric cars, there are three charging levels that inform charge speeds.
Below is an electric car charging tie chart that breaks down each of the three EV charging levels.
| *Source | Level 1 | Level 2 | DC Fast Charging |
| Connector Type 1 | J1772 connector | J1772 connector | CCS connector, CHAdeMO connector, Tesla connector |
| Typical Power Output | 1 kW | 7 kW - 19 kW | 50 - 350 kW |
| Estimated PHEV Charge Time from Empty2 | 5 - 6 hours | 1 - 2 hours | n/a |
|
Estimated BEV Charge Time from Empty3 |
40 - 50 hours | 4 - 10 hours | 20 minutes - 1 hour |
| Estimated Electric Range per Hour of Charging | 2 - 5 miles | 10 - 20 miles | 180 - 240 miles |
| Typical Locations | Home | Home, Workplace, and Public | Public |
How Long Does an Electric Car Battery Last Before Recharging?
One of the many questions surrounding EV charging is how long an electric car battery lasts before needing to be recharged. And because EVs are changing rapidly due to an uptick in demand and the advancement in technology, the answer isn’t necessarily a simple one.
How long an electric car battery lasts depends on the type of car, battery, and charging power being used. Most early electric vehicles were capable of around 100 miles of driving before they needed to be recharged. Now, electric vehicles can travel around 200 to 250 miles on one charge. This is different for EVs like Teslas though, as they average about 350 miles on one charge.
Because electric technology is advancing quickly, many automakers already have plans to achieve longer ranges and faster charging speeds.
How Much Does it Cost to Charge an Electric Car?
If you’re still unsure about the advantages of buying an electric car vs. gas, it’s helpful to understand how much it costs to charge an EV. The answer to that question depends on the cost of electricity which is measured in kWh, as opposed to gallons of gasoline in a traditional car. But on average, it costs around $6 to charge an electric car.
To get an estimated cost per kWh, take the overall cost of electricity on your last bill and divide it by the kWh used. Based on research from the U.S. Department of Energy, the average U.S. household pays around 10.7 cents per kWh. Considering the fact that an electric vehicle consumes 27 kWh to travel 100 miles on average, the cost per mile is around $0.03.
If electricity costs 10.7 cents per kWh, charging an EV with a 200-mile range (assuming a fully depleted 54 kWh battery) will cost about $6 to reach a full charge.
But let’s take it one step further and determine the monthly cost to charge an electric car. For example, let’s say you drive about 1,000 miles per month (12,000 miles a year) at $6 per 200-mile charge. This would equate to $30 per month to charge an electric car. While it may sound too good to be true, it’s not! Compared to the high cost of gas-powered cars, electric cars certainly win when it comes to cost-efficiency.
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