How long does it take to charge an electric car?

The time it takes to charge an electric car varies from more twelve hours to as little as half an hour from a rapid charger. This will depend on the type of charger you choose, where you charge and the model of car.

There are currently 3 main types of electric car charging points – rapid, fast and slow.

Rapid chargers: the quickest way to charge (100kW) and are usually found at motorway service stations or close to main routes. These are the points that can usually charge your car to 80% in as little as 20 minutes depending on your car model.

Fast chargers: usually rated at either 7kW or 22Kw. The 7kW charger can fully recharge an electric car within 4-6 hours and the 22kW within 1-2 hours. Typically, most home chargepoints that are installed are fast charge 7kW points.

Slow chargers: these points have a power rating of 3.6kW. Charging times will vary but typically will be 8-12 hours which is perfect for just an overnight charge. Lamppost charging also tends to be a slow charge but normally charge at 6kW.