How long does it take to charge an electric car?
An electric car can take anything from less than half an hour to more than a day to charge. The answer depends on battery size, how much charge you need to add, charger power and the maximum AC or DC charging rate the vehicle can accept.
Electric car charging times at a glance
For a 60kWh usable battery charging from 20% to 80%, the examples below show how dramatically charging time changes with charger power. AC estimates use 90% charging efficiency. Rapid DC figures are mathematical best-case comparisons because real charging power changes during the session.
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What determines EV charging time?
There is no single average charging time that applies to every electric car. Several factors determine how long an individual charging session takes.
- Battery capacity: a larger battery generally takes longer to charge than a smaller battery when charger power is the same.
- Starting charge: charging from 60% to 80% requires far less energy than charging from 10% to 80%.
- Target charge: a normal top-up can be much shorter than charging all the way to 100%.
- Charger power: a 7kW home charger supplies energy much more slowly than a 50kW, 100kW or 150kW public charger.
- Vehicle charging limit: the car cannot normally use more power than its own maximum AC or DC charging rate allows.
- Battery temperature and charging curve: rapid charging power changes during the session and may fall as the battery becomes fuller.
Electric car charging times by charger speed
The table below compares common charger powers using the same example: a 60kWh usable battery charging from 20% to 80%.
| Charger power | Typical use | 60kWh battery, 20% → 80% |
|---|---|---|
| 2.3kW | UK 3-pin plug | ~17 hr 23 min |
| 3.6kW | Lower-power AC charging | ~11 hr 7 min |
| 7kW | Typical UK home wallbox | ~5 hr 43 min |
| 11kW | Higher-power AC | ~3 hr 38 min |
| 22kW | Higher-power AC | ~1 hr 49 min |
| 50kW | Rapid DC | Best-case ~43 min |
| 100kW | Rapid DC | Best-case ~22 min |
| 150kW | Ultra-rapid DC | Best-case ~14 min |
How to calculate electric car charging time
A basic charging-time calculation starts with the amount of battery energy you need to add.
usable battery capacity × percentage of battery being charged
battery energy added ÷ (charger power × charging efficiency)
battery energy added ÷ effective charging power
Example: 60kWh battery from 20% to 80%
Charging from 20% to 80% adds 60% of the battery’s usable capacity.
For a 60kWh battery:
60kWh × 60% = 36kWh of battery energy.
On a 7kW AC home charger using a 90% charging-efficiency assumption:
36 ÷ (7 × 0.90) = approximately 5.7 hours.
That is approximately 5 hours 43 minutes.
How long does a 7kW charger take?
A 7kW to 7.4kW wallbox is the normal charging-power range for many UK home installations.
It is usually intended to charge the vehicle while it remains parked for several hours or overnight.
| Usable battery | Charge added | 7kW estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 40kWh | 20% → 80% | ~3 hr 49 min |
| 50kWh | 20% → 80% | ~4 hr 46 min |
| 60kWh | 20% → 80% | ~5 hr 43 min |
| 70kWh | 20% → 80% | ~6 hr 40 min |
| 80kWh | 20% → 80% | ~7 hr 37 min |
| 100kWh | 20% → 80% | ~9 hr 31 min |
These examples use a 90% AC charging-efficiency assumption. Actual charging rates can be lower if the vehicle or electrical installation limits the available power.
How long does a full charge take on a 7kW charger?
A complete 0% to 100% charge takes considerably longer than a normal top-up.
Using the same 90% efficiency assumption, a 60kWh usable battery would take approximately 9 hours 31 minutes on a 7kW charger.
In everyday use, many drivers do not arrive home with an empty battery. If you return with 50% charge and only need to reach 80%, the charging session will be much shorter.
How long does it take to charge an electric car at home?
Home charging time depends mainly on the charging power available at the property and how much energy the car needs.
A 3-pin plug may require well over a night for a large top-up, whereas a 7kW wallbox can add a substantial amount of energy during a normal overnight parking period.
This is why a 7kW home charger is often used overnight: the car can remain connected while parked rather than requiring the driver to wait for the session to finish.
How long does a 3-pin plug take to charge an electric car?
A UK domestic socket provides much less charging power than a dedicated wallbox.
Using 2.3kW as an illustrative charging rate, adding 36kWh to a battery at 90% efficiency takes approximately 17 hours 23 minutes.
Charging a larger battery from a very low state of charge can therefore run well beyond one night.
What about 11kW and 22kW AC charging?
Higher-powered AC chargepoints can reduce charging time, but the car must be able to accept the higher AC rate.
An EV with a 7.4kW onboard AC charger will not suddenly charge at 11kW or 22kW simply because it is connected to a more powerful chargepoint.
Higher AC charging power can also depend on the electrical supply available at the property, with 11kW and 22kW charging commonly associated with three-phase installations.
How long does it take to charge an electric car at a charging station?
Charging-station time varies enormously because public chargepoints range from relatively slow AC destination chargers to high-powered rapid and ultra-rapid DC chargers.
At a hotel, car park or destination charger, the vehicle may be connected for several hours. At a motorway or rapid-charging hub, the aim is normally to add enough energy for the next part of the journey in a much shorter stop.
So the answer to “how long does it take to charge an electric car at a charging station?” can range from several hours to tens of minutes depending on the type of charger being used.
How long does rapid charging take?
Rapid and ultra-rapid public chargers use DC electricity and can deliver much higher power than a normal home charger.
However, the number printed on the charger is a maximum rating, not a promise that the car will receive that power continuously.
| Charger power | 60kWh battery 20% → 80% | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| 50kW DC | Best-case ~43 min | Vehicle may accept less than 50kW |
| 80kW DC | Best-case ~27 min | Charging curve may reduce average power |
| 100kW DC | Best-case ~22 min | Vehicle maximum still applies |
| 150kW DC | Best-case ~14 min | Many EVs cannot sustain 150kW |
| 350kW DC | Pure arithmetic ~6 min | This becomes highly unrealistic for most vehicles |
Why does rapid charging slow down?
An EV does not normally accept its maximum rapid-charging power from the beginning of a session all the way to 100%.
Instead, charging power changes as battery temperature and state of charge change. This changing rate is often described as the car’s charging curve.
The highest charging rate may be available only during part of the session. Power commonly reduces as the battery reaches a higher state of charge, which is one reason published rapid-charging figures often use a range such as 10% to 80%.
How long does it take to charge an EV from 20% to 80%?
Charging from 20% to 80% means adding 60% of the battery’s usable capacity. The amount of energy therefore changes with battery size.
| Usable battery | 7kW AC | 11kW AC | 50kW DC best-case | 150kW DC best-case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40kWh | ~3 hr 49 min | ~2 hr 25 min | ~29 min | ~10 min |
| 50kWh | ~4 hr 46 min | ~3 hr 2 min | ~36 min | ~12 min |
| 60kWh | ~5 hr 43 min | ~3 hr 38 min | ~43 min | ~14 min |
| 70kWh | ~6 hr 40 min | ~4 hr 15 min | ~50 min | ~17 min |
| 80kWh | ~7 hr 37 min | ~4 hr 51 min | ~58 min | ~19 min |
| 100kWh | ~9 hr 31 min | ~6 hr 4 min | ~1 hr 12 min | ~24 min |
AC estimates use 90% charging efficiency. The DC columns are theoretical comparisons assuming constant charger power. Real rapid-charging sessions can take longer because the vehicle may accept less power and the charging rate usually changes during the session.
Why is 80% often used for rapid charging?
Charging beyond roughly 80% can take disproportionately longer on many EVs because charging power is often reduced as the battery becomes fuller.
That does not mean a car should never be charged to 100%. A full battery can be useful when maximum range is needed.
The appropriate everyday charging target depends on the vehicle, battery design and manufacturer guidance.
Full charge versus 20% to 80%
A quoted “charging time” can mean very different things. A manufacturer may quote a rapid-charging time from 10% to 80%, while a home-charging estimate may describe a full 0% to 100% session.
These figures should not be compared as though they describe the same amount of energy.
Charging time by battery capacity
Battery size matters because a larger battery contains more energy. However, battery capacity alone does not tell you the charging time.
A 100kWh battery receiving a small top-up can finish sooner than a 50kWh battery being charged from almost empty. The useful calculation is always based on the amount of energy being added, not simply the battery’s headline capacity.
Does cold weather increase EV charging time?
It can.
A cold battery may not accept energy as quickly as a battery at its preferred operating temperature, particularly during rapid DC charging.
Some EVs use battery preconditioning to prepare the battery before arriving at a rapid charger.
Temperature is another reason a simple battery-size ÷ charger-power calculation should be treated as an estimate rather than an exact arrival-time prediction.
Charger power versus vehicle charging power
The effective charging rate is limited by whichever part of the system can accept or provide the least power.
For example, if you connect a car with a maximum 100kW DC charging rate to a 150kW charger, the car cannot simply use the full 150kW.
Likewise, a vehicle with an 11kW AC onboard charger connected to a 7kW wallbox will be limited by the 7kW chargepoint.
Home charging versus rapid charging
Get a more accurate charging-time estimate for your EV
Generic charging-time tables are useful for comparison, but they cannot account for your exact battery size and charge range.
Our EV Charging Time Calculator lets you enter the usable battery capacity, starting battery percentage, target charge level and charger power yourself.
EV charging time FAQs
How long does it take to charge an electric car?
It can range from less than half an hour on a suitable rapid charger to more than a day using a low-powered charging method. Battery size, starting charge, target charge, charger power and the vehicle’s own charging limit all affect the result.
How long does it take to charge an electric car at home?
It depends on battery size, starting charge and charger power. As an example, a 60kWh usable battery charged from 20% to 80% on a 7kW wallbox takes about 5 hours 43 minutes using a 90% charging-efficiency estimate.
How long does a 7kW charger take?
A 7kW charger adding 36kWh to a battery takes approximately 5 hours 43 minutes at 90% charging efficiency. A larger battery or a larger charge range will take longer.
How long does it take to charge an electric car at a charging station?
It depends on the type of charging station. AC destination charging can take several hours, while rapid DC charging can add a substantial amount of energy in tens of minutes when the vehicle supports the available power.
How long does a 50kW rapid charger take?
Adding 36kWh would take about 43 minutes at a constant 50kW. In practice the vehicle may charge more slowly because its maximum DC rate and charging curve determine how much power it can actually accept.
How long does charging from 20% to 80% take?
It depends on battery size and charging power. A 60kWh usable battery requires 36kWh to move from 20% to 80%. That is about 5 hours 43 minutes on a 7kW AC charger at 90% efficiency, or a mathematical best-case of about 43 minutes at a constant 50kW.
Is a 150kW charger three times faster than a 50kW charger?
Not necessarily. A 150kW charger has three times the headline output, but the EV must be capable of accepting that power and rapid-charging power changes during the session.
Can I charge an EV overnight?
For many drivers, yes. A 7kW home wallbox can add a substantial amount of energy during an overnight parking period. The exact time depends on the vehicle and how much charge needs to be added.
Why is my EV charging more slowly than the charger rating?
The vehicle may have a lower maximum charging rate, charging power may fall as the battery fills, the electrical supply may limit AC power, or battery temperature may reduce the rate the vehicle can accept.
Sources and methodology
Charging-time examples on this page are original calculations using the formulas shown above. AC examples use a 90% charging-efficiency assumption. DC figures are simple idealised comparisons and should not be treated as guaranteed rapid-charging times.
General UK charging guidance checked against Energy Saving Trust and SMMT information.
Energy Saving Trust — Charging electric vehicles
SMMT — Electric vehicle charging guide