Charging your electric car is necessary when its range is insufficient for the route. The charging times in particular were (and in some cases still are) a reason why some drivers still shy away from buying an electric car. However, the technology has developed significantly over the past few years and decades. First of all, the battery capacity of the e-cars has been significantly increased. This allows a significantly higher range, so that it is generally less necessary to reload. But if you want to travel a longer distance, then you need to know how long it takes to charge an electric car. Depending on the battery capacity of your electric car and the charging station you use, you can fully charge your car in just 120 minutes – a level of 80%, on the other hand, is reached much faster.
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The development of charging stations
The infrastructure of charging stations has been significantly expanded, and there are now even three different categories. In addition to charging the car at your wall box at home, many people use public charging stations, such as in company car parks. But which types can you use nowadays?
1. Classic charging stations for e-cars
This is the oldest type of public charging station. Many owners also use this type in their garage at home. As a rule, these charging stations offer a rather low performance. As a result, it typically takes six to twelve hours to charge an electric car. Ultimately, this variant corresponds to charging via a household socket. You can also use a so-called mode 2 charging cable for this. Actually all providers already include such a document with their vehicles. This gives you the option of charging at any time in an emergency.
2. Fast alternating current charging stations (AC charging stations)
This is an advanced variant of modern charging stations. In addition, the charging time of an e-car is significantly reduced. Nevertheless, it is difficult to give a general answer as to how long an e-car needs to charge, and it is difficult to give a general answer. Because there is also a wide range of techniques and some important influencing factors. For example, it is often overlooked that the ambient temperature can have a major impact. In addition, the charging power actually achieved decreases over time – depending on how far the battery has already been charged. It is therefore advisable for quick charging on the go not to fully charge the battery, but only up to about 80%. Furthermore, the vehicle type and the built-in charging electronics and the charging station technology are important influencing factors.
3. State-of-the-art direct current charging stations (DC charging stations)
This type of charging station was made famous by the pioneering Tesla brand. Even if the performance of this charging technology can be very high, it still takes a little longer to fully charge your vehicle again if it is relatively empty. In principle, however, the vehicle model must support the use of such a quick charging station. If this is the case, you can supply your battery with new energy with up to 150 kW (or even 350 kW). In general, the typical electric car charging capacities are 3, 7, 11, 22 or 44 kWh. With an extremely high charging power, however, you should also remember that the high charging currents generated as a result can also affect your battery over time. In addition, you often pay more money to charge your car.
How long does it take to charge e-cars
When you buy an electric car, you should pay attention to various factors if you attach particular importance to the charging time. First and foremost, it can be said that you will of course need more time if the battery in your electric car is larger. However, such a vehicle naturally also has a longer range, so that you have to charge less often overall. In addition, the charging electronics on board your car determine the maximum possible charging capacity. In addition, the vehicle model purchased also determines the possible types of charging. For example, direct current charging allows very fast cycles, which can reduce the charging time of an e-car to just a few minutes. In contrast, charging a Tesla with the power of a standard household socket can take more than a day. In general, it is therefore not recommended to only charge in one phase at home. For extra protection and for better performance when charging your vehicle, it is best to get your own wall box. This is also partially funded.
How do I protect the battery of my electric car?
One of the most important criteria for the function of your battery is the current ambient temperature. This applies in particular during the charging process. Cooling usually ensures the desired temperature, especially in summer. However, don't count on it, it's better to park in the shade in hot temperatures. Extremely low temperatures can also damage your car. You should therefore park in your garage, especially in winter, and ideally charge there as well. You should also pay attention to the state of charge. Of course there is a safety shutdown of charging as soon as your battery is full, but you protect your battery much better if you charge your battery to a maximum of 80%. In addition, you should not let it become too empty. A minimum charge level of 30% also protects the e-car battery.
Conclusion
While the charging time on the wall box at home only plays a subordinate role (because recharging usually takes place at night), it is very important when you are out and about. If you are planning another tour, you should therefore plan sufficient loading breaks. The loading time can be roughly calculated. Pay attention to the other influencing factors and you will have a lot of fun with your electric car.
A tip from CarTipsandmore:
So that it is not too nasty surprises, you should find out about the applicable tariffs before connecting your car to a charging station. In the current situation, there are unfortunately only a few charging stations that bill for the energy actually transmitted. This is due to the calibration regulations that have come into force in The United Kingdom in recent years. This stipulates that calibrated meters must be used for such charging stations. However, these are not available for DC charging stations, for example. In addition, they are also difficult to use for AC stations. Therefore, there are often flat rates or those that charge for a certain loading time (e.g. per hour started).