Q How long does it take to charge an electric car at a charging station?

How long does it take to charge an electric car? It’s a common question, especially if you’re wondering how to charge your EV during a long drive and are keen to get moving again. Charge times for EVs do vary, sometimes by model, but charging times will always differ depending on the charging power available.

Public charging stations tend to have fast chargers for this reason. Fast chargers provide anywhere from 7kW to 22kW of power, which can result in your EV being charged up to 80-100% capacity in two to four hours. That might be fast enough at a workplace or a charging station at a gym where you’re working out, but not at motorway services when you’ve stopped for lunch for an hour.

For faster charging, you’ll need to access rapid or even ultra rapid chargers which deliver power outputs of 43kW, 50kW and higher. There are lots of rapid chargers available in the UK, usually located at service stations for drivers who need to charge and go quickly. A good rule of thumb is that the faster the charger, the higher the tariff will be as this is generally the case with faster public chargers.