Video: EV 101: How Long Does it Take to Charge an EV?

But what about refueling an electric car? Just how long does charging take? Well, the answer depends on a lot of factors such as battery size, the vehicle's onboard charger, the capability of the home, or public charging equipment you're using. Even how hot or cold it is outside. (light bright music) Charging an EV can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 40 hours or more. During your EV research, you probably came across the automaker's charging time estimates. These are a decent guide but it's important to keep in mind that those estimates are for the best case scenario. Let's look at the different types of charging and how long each can take. There are three charging levels. Level one, which is done at home. level two, which can be done at home or at a public station. And DC fast charging, which is currently done only at public or commercial charging stations. Level one charging uses your standard 120 volt household outlet. And should generally be considered a last resort because it takes the longest. You can expect to see times of more than 40 hours to several days for a full charge depending on the vehicle. Level one charging isn't considered feasible for routinely charging an EV because you're getting at most five miles of range per hour of charging. EVs these days usually have at least 200 miles of total range. So a theoretical charging session would take a minimum of 40 hours to go from empty to a full charge. Granted, you won't likely be charging from 0 to 100% every night. But five miles of range per hour doesn't really get you very far. Instead, we recommend EV buyers install level two home charging equipment. What hangs on the wall like this one behind me is often referred to as the charger. But technically this is the EVSE or electric vehicle supply equipment while the actual charger is built into the EV itself. Level two charging is the fastest means of charging an EV at home and uses a 240 volt circuit like a clothes dryer or an electric stove. It's necessary for a truly effective home charging setup. Although, there are public level two chargers that might work for you often found in parking garages, shopping malls, and office parks. There are a lot of variables to this charging setup, including your charging hardware, and the vehicle's capabilities. So a rough charging estimate ranges from as little as 4 hours to as many as 15. Yeah, that's a significant difference between those times, which is why the level two charging works best at home. In an ideal scenario, you drive your EV for a day or multiple days, then plug the car in when it's time to charge, and let it charge to the desired level overnight when the home electricity supply is cheapest. In our own home charging tests, our Tesla Model Y was able to add approximately 46 miles of range in one hour of level two home charging when properly set up. The EPA's website provides helpful time to charge measurements for level two charging on its vehicle spec pages. The '23 Model Y, for example, is estimated to take 9 hours, 24 minutes. But again, it's not that simple. The EPA often lists charging speeds based on standard equipment like a mobile charger that comes with the car in the trunk. But faster charging speeds can be unlocked with more powerful wall-mounted units on high amperage circuits. The EPA will note when listed charge times are with standard or optional equipment. Technically, there is no such thing as level three charging as it's often called. The proper name is DC fast charging. DC fast chargers are found in public lots and can vary in maximum power delivery. But expect to spend about 20 minutes to an hour for a partial charge. Again, this is a range because DC fast chargers can vary considerably in maximum power delivery from 50 kilowatts to 350 kilowatts in ideal conditions. Note that DC fast charging is almost never free either and costs significantly more than charging your EV at home. There are some caveats to fast charging, however. EV manufacturers typically tout DC fast charging as adding X miles in as little as X minutes. Or the minimum time it takes to go from 10% charge to 80%. So why not to 100%? Well, DC fast charging slows considerably once the EV's battery reaches 80%. And constantly charging to 100% can be really bad for the battery's health. So automakers slow the charging down a lot once it reaches 80%. This sort of charging is best used on longer road trips when you need a quick fill up to get to your destination. Ideally, your EV will have some sort of route planning feature that will calculate driving distance, state of charge, and additional factors that plot a route that will include any necessary charging stops. Of the three, DC fast charging is by far the fastest way to charge your EV. For example, we've charged a 2022 Hyundai IONIQ 5 from 18% to 80% in as little as 18 minutes on a 350 kilowatt DC fast charger. But lower ambient and battery temperatures can prolong charge times. For the most convenient method however, we recommend investing in a level two home charger. But what does it cost to charge your EV at home? We'll go over that in our next episode of EV 101. In the meantime, you can learn even more about electric vehicles at cars.com/ev. (light bright music)