Roughly estimating how long it takes to charge an electric car is the same as asking how long it takes to drive across the country. Different modes of travel and charging methods determine the answer.
However, an extensive range of variables determines the recharging time, even the charging cable’s length. But we can give you some reliable guidelines.
Aside from irrelevant details, the three primary factors that influence the charging of electric vehicles include the power source, the vehicle’s charger capability, and the size of the battery. These variables play a role in the charging time. However, there are ambient conditions that could increase charging time, for example, cold or extremely hot weather.
Summary
The general charging duration for an electric car ranges between as little as 30 minutes, to over 12 hours. The duration largely depends on charging point speed and battery capacity.
- As a reference, a standard electric vehicle takes under 8 hours to fully recharge from 0 with a 60kWh battery while connected to a 7kW charging point.
- Most drivers prefer to top up their charge instead of waiting for the battery to recharge from empty to full.
- For many electric cars, a 50kW rapid charger can provide up to 100 miles of range in approximately 35 minutes.
- If the charging point is slower, it will take longer to charge your electric car from empty to full.
How long does it take to fully charge an electric car?
The battery is the main power source of your EV and provides energy to the motor. There is a direct proportion between the size of the battery and the driving range. The greater the size of the battery, the bigger the range.
Plug-in hybrids have significantly lower battery capacity than EVs, and that is reflected in the driving range of the two types of vehicles. PHEVs usually cover around 50 miles in electric mode, whereas EVs from Lucid, Rivian, and Tesla can cover more than 400 miles.
Because smaller batteries carry less energy than larger batteries, their charge duration is shorter. Low battery capacitive PHEVs can, conveniently, be charged in two hours using a Level 2 charger at home.
Electric cars, on the other hand, have sturdier batteries than PHEVs or partially charged electric vehicles and thus have longer refueling times, which exceed seven hours when using Level 2 charging.
Below is additional information concerning the driving range and referred charging time for famous plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, as well as electric vehicles.
| Model | Powertrain | Top Electric Driving Range | Level 2 Charging Time |
| 2025 Lexus TX Plug-In Hybrid | PHEV | 33 miles | 3 hours |
| 2025 Kia Sportage Plug-In Hybrid | PHEV | 34 miles | 2 hours |
| 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC Plug-In Hybrid | PHEV | 54 miles | 3-5 hours |
| 2025 BMW i4 | EV | 318 miles | 8-10 hours |
| 2025 Ford F-150 Lightning | EV | 320 miles | 13-19 hours |
| 2025 Tesla Model 3 | EV | 363 miles | 10-12 hours |
| 2025 Volkswagen ID.4 | EV | 263 miles | 6-8 hours |
As shown in the table above, the range captured by the car increases with the capacity of the batteries, but so does the charging time.
Charging Method Impacts Charging Time
All EVs can be charged in various ways. Let’s focus on the methods to identify how they differ in terms of charging duration.
Level 1 Charging
When you have a regularly available 120-volt connection (Level 1 charging), the fastest option for charging your EV is at home and overnight, and it is the least convenient option, which charges your EV the slowest.
In this method of charging, only 3 to 5 miles of driving range can be recuperated each hour, which means that a PHEV can take 5 or more hours to charge. An electric vehicle can take anywhere between 30 to 50 hours or more.
Here are some Level 1 charging times for popular EVs and plug-in hybrids:
| Model | Powertrain | Top Electric Driving Range | Level 1 Charging Time |
| 2025 Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid | PHEV | 37 miles | 10.5 hours |
| 2025 Kia Niro EV | EV | 253 miles | 57 hours |
| 2025 Nissan Leaf | EV | 212 miles | 60 hours |
The table suggests that some EVs take 2 days or more to charge fully using Level 1. Hence, several EV manufacturers discourage using Level 1 for this reason.
Level 2 Charging
Level 2 charging is more advanced than Level 1 charging. In residential use, this charging method needs a 240-volt outlet. Level 2 charging is also found in commercial settings; in that situation, a 208-volt outlet is required
Having a Level 2 charging setup at home will often not include a wall box. Electric wall boxes aid in charging, allowing the battery to be charged rather quickly as compared to without it. Some companies and public places also provide Level 2 charging. With this method, it is possible to charge an EV from 0 to 80% in 4-10 hours and around two hours for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
Aside from the popular EVs we have already discussed, let us consider some more to understand how useful this charging option is.
| Model | Powertrain | Top Electric Driving Range | Level 2 Charging Time |
| 2025 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid | PHEV | 44 miles | 4 hours |
| 2025 Mazda CX-90 PHEV | PHEV | 26 miles | 1.5 hours |
| 2025 Nissan Ariya | EV | 289 miles | 10.5-14 hours |
| 2025 BMW i7 | EV | 314 miles | 12 hours |
| 2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E | EV | 320 miles | 11-15 hours |
Direct Current (DC) Fast Charging
In comparison with the other methods of charging, this is the fastest way of ‘fueling up’ an electrical vehicle (EV). It does not depend on what make or model of the vehicle you have.
All you need is a 480-volt connection, which can be useful to facilities but not to homeowners. In terms of multi-use capability, this method is not flexible as not all EVs support DC fast charging. While the latest models easily allow for this sort of refueling, the older ones are a bit more reluctant.
You can find DC fast charging in shopping centres, coffee shops, supermarkets, and theaters. An electric vehicle can achieve an 80% charge in around 20 minutes to an hour. Most plug-in hybrids do not support DC fast charging, although some models like a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV do, and it achieves 80% charge in 38 minutes.
Most electric vehicle manufacturers suggest an 80% upper limit while using DC fast charging regularly due to battery life considerations. These limits do not apply while on long road trips. The charging speed also falls off sharply after 80% state of charge at DC fast chargers.
Different brands have different fast chargers, which results in inconsistent charging speed depending on the type of fast charger and its power output. The faster the charging output, which can range from 15 kW to over 350 kW, the lower the charge time.
As the voltage power output differs from one DC charger to another, so does the efficiency of the charging rate on different vehicles. A battery can only be recharged at the maximum possible rate the vehicle can take in. For instance, if your vehicle can only accept a maximum charging value of 130 kW, then charging it with a 350 kW DC fast charger does not give any benefits.
An already charged battery may also affect charge time with DC fast charging. Charging from 5% will make it longer to charge compared to 25%. Similarly, if you are refueling your EV past 80% capacity, the time to recharge the battery will also take much longer.
Lastly, weather and environmental conditions can also affect the time it takes to replenish the charge on your ex. The amount of time it takes to fill up the EV’s battery can greatly increase when the temperatures are colder.
Below is a list of some popular EVs and their performance for DC fast charging:
| Model | DC Fast Charging Time |
| 2025 Kia EV6 | 60-70 minutes to go from a 10% to 80% charge using a DC fast charging station at 50 kW or 18 minutes at the maximum charging speed of 350 kW |
2025 Nissan Ariya | 10% to 80% in 35-90 minutes |
| 2025 Tesla Model S | 200 miles of range in 15 minutes |
| 2025 Rivian R1T | 10% to 80% in 30-41 minutes |
| 2025 Chevrolet Silverado EV | 100 miles of range in 10 minutes |
| 2025 Volkswagen ID.4 | 10% to 80% in 30 minutes |
| 2025 Kia EV9 | 10% to 80% in 20-25 minutes |
| 2025 Genesis GV60 | 10% to 80% in about 18 minutes |
2025 BMW iX | 200 miles of range in 30 minutes |
How fast do electric cars charge?
- The quickest way to charge an EV is using rapid chargers (43–50 kW and 150 kW), which can allow a Nissan LEAF (2018) to charge in under an hour, a Tesla Model S (2019) in 2 hours, and a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (2018) in less than 40 minutes.
- Home charging stations typically support a power level of either 3.7kW or 7kW. These chargers require 11-21 hours to fully charge a Tesla Model S (2019), 4-11 hours for a Nissan LEAF (2018), and 4 hours for a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (2018).
- All electric vehicles can accept charge from charge points that have a higher maximum charge rate: These vehicles will charge at their maximum charge acceptance, improving convenience, such as being able to use a 22kW fast charger that would fully charge the mentioned car in 4-6 hours.
How long does it take to charge an electric car at a charging station?
With a 150kW rapid charging station, it has been estimated that a standard electric vehicle with a 60kWh battery can be charged in about 30 minutes or less. If a public charger operating at 7kW is utilized, it can also be done under 8 hours and around 3 hours for a 22 kW ChargePoint.
It is best practice to reserve a rapid charger for when you are on the road and need to charge your car during long-distance travel, since they are the most expensive option due to their convenience.
If time is not an issue, it would be more economical to use a lower kWh charger, which can be used overnight or while running errands.
How long does it take to charge an electric car at home?
With a 7kW home charger, fully charging a 60 kWh electric car battery takes roughly eight hours, which can easily be done during sleep, as well as other activities like fitting your EV battery recharge during the night. In comparison, a 3.7kW slower home charger would take around 16 hours to fully charge the EV battery.
Though rarely used, 22kW home chargers allow faster than usual charging, but are inefficient due to requiring three-phase power, which is not readily available in most residential properties and is expensive to implement.
What is top-up charging?
As the name suggests, head home or to your gym, workplace, or supermarket during the day and plug in your electric car to charge at night. This is an example of top-up charging.
- Rather than allowing the battery to run down and later waiting for it to fully recharge, drivers allocate the time their vehicle is parked (which constitutes almost 95% of the time) towards charging the battery a bit.
- Charging at public places or work typically varies between 7kW to 22kW, making them convenient for top-up charging.
- A combination of top-up charging during the day and charging overnight at home is one of the best ways to ensure an electric vehicle is always ready to go.
How much range do you get per hour of charging?
As the driver of an electric vehicle, it is also important for you to keep track of how many miles you will be able to cover if you need to travel to a new destination, depending on how long you are charging your vehicle.
| Miles of range added per hour of charging | ||||
| 3.7kW slow | 7kW fast | 22kW fast | 43-50kW rapid | 150kW rapid |
| Up to 15 miles | Up to 30 miles | Up to 90 miles | Up to 90 miles in 30 mins | Up to 200 miles in 30 mins |
Analysis:
- The charge range for one hour has a variation depending on how economical your vehicle is. Small battery-only electric cars (e.g. Renault Zoe) are the most economical. They get 30 miles of range for each hour of charging at 7kW.
- Full battery electric vehicles, like the Audi e-tron Quattro, are heavier, and a 7kW charge will get you about 20 miles of range per hour. (However, plug-in hybrids are typically not as efficient as full-on electric cars).
- The efficiency of a car also changes depending on the surrounding conditions, like how hot or cold it is. That means electric cars work a bit better and get a better range per hour in summer than they do in winter.
Factors that affect charging speed
The 5 factors define the time taken to charge an electric vehicle.
- Battery size: A larger battery capacity (in kWh) means that it will take longer to charge.
- Running charge: If the battery is charged from empty, it will take longer to charge than if the battery was half full.
- Vehicle max charge ability: A vehicle can only be charged up to the maximum charge rate that particular vehicle can accept. For example, with a max charge rate of 7kW, using a 22kW chargepoint will yield no higher result.
- Maximum Chargepoint Charging Rate: The time required for the charging will also be capped by the maximum charging rate of the chargepoint being used. For example, a vehicle capable of charging at 11kW will only do so at 7kW on a 7kW chargepoint.
- Environmental Considerations: Charge times may increase slightly with a colder ambient temperature, particularly when using a rapid charger. Colder temperatures also mean that the vehicles are less efficient, so fewer miles are gained per unit of time spent charging.