An electric car can reach full charge in as little as 15 minutes or more than 12 hours. The duration is dependent on a number of factors such as size of battery and battery lifecycle.
Here are the factors that determine your vehicle charging time
State of battery
If you are charging from empty, it will take longer to reach full charge than if you are topping up from 50%.
Comparing speeds is difficult because chargers work very quickly on a depleted battery, but slow down as the battery approaches full. That means charging gets considerably slower once the battery reaches 80%.
Charging rate of vehicle
You can only charge a vehicle’s battery at the maximum charge rate the vehicle can accept. For example, if your vehicle’s max charge rate is 7 kW, you will not charge any faster by using a 22 kW charge point.
Charging rate of charge point
The same vehicle at different chargers will experience varying charge durations. That is because, broadly speaking, the biggest determinant of charging speed is the source. The time it takes to charge your electric vehicle will be limited by the maximum charging rate of the charge point you are using. For example, if your vehicle can charge at 11 kW, but is plugged into a 7 kW charge point, it will only charge at 7 kW/h.
Size of battery
The bigger the battery capacity of your vehicle, the longer it will take to reach full charge.
Instead of letting the battery deplete below 10% and waiting while it fully recharges, drivers make use of the time their car is parked to keep the battery topped up. It is useful to know how many kilometres of range you are getting during the time your vehicle is charging so you know you can get to your next destination.
Approximate range in kilometres added with charging for 15 mins
Home charging points typically have a power rating of 3.7 kW or 7 kW. Therefore, combining daytime top-up charging with overnight charging at home is an effective way to keep your electric car charged and ready to go.
A common sentiment from current electric vehicle owners describe home charging as a perk, but for would-be buyers, those lengthy charge times can sound alarming. A large point of consideration is that most cars are parked during the bulk of the day, and with the impetus of Singapore transitioning its transport infrastructure to electric, shared chargers at workplaces, restaurants and other public locations are a sight soon to come.
