How Long Does it Take to Charge an EV at Home?
Buying an electric vehicle sounds like the ideal eco-friendly move, but one of the biggest concerns you might have is the time it'll take your new car to charge.
If you've ever tried using a battery-powered lawn mower or hedge trimmer, you'll know that they often sound better in theory than they actually are in practice. But at least if your lawn mower battery runs out, you won't end up stranded on the side of the road.
Thankfully, electric cars are a massive upgrade from battery-powered garden equipment. They last for hours between charges, and their charging times can be really fast, too.
But exactly how long does it take to charge an electric car*? What affects the charging speed for electric vehicles, and how can you charge your car as quickly as possible? We're answering all these questions and more in this guide.
*The information in this article also applies to plug-in hybrid cars.
The Main Factors That Affect EV Charging Time
Before we discuss electric car charging times, let's start by looking at the factors that can affect how long it takes an electric car to charge.
Every electric car and charging setup is different, and the time it'll take you to charge your car at home depends on:
- The charger's power rating, measured in kilowatts (kW)
- Your car's battery size and capacity, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh)
- The battery's starting state, or the charge that your car has when you plug it in
It goes without saying that a smaller car (with a smaller battery) will charge faster than a bigger car (with a bigger battery).
How Long Does it Take to Charge an Electric Car With a 3-Pin Plug?
If you haven't yet invested in a dedicated home charging point for your car, or you haven't bought an electric car yet and you're still considering your options, you can still charge it with a regular three-pin domestic plug. This is known as level 1, or sometimes granny, charging.
Most EVs come with a charging cable that lets you charge them like this, assuming that not everyone wants to invest in an ultra-rapid charger right off the bat.
A UK three-pin socket delivers about 2.3 kW of energy, which (in case you hadn't guessed) is very slow. If your EV has a 60 kWh battery and you plug in from empty, it might end up taking more than a full day to reach 100% charge.
That said, if you only drive short distances and don't mind leaving your car plugged in pretty much whenever you use it, this kind of charging might be fine. But most electric car drivers will tell you that if you rely on your car daily or just want to get it charged quickly, you'll want a "proper" EV charger with a faster charging speed.
How Long Does it Take to Charge an EV With a 7 kW Home Charger?
If you're planning on installing (or have already installed) a dedicated wall box charger, it'll most likely have a 7 kW power rating. This type of charger is faster and more efficient than a standard socket for one simple reason: it’s specifically designed for EVs.
A 7 kW charger adds about 25 to 30 miles of range per hour, although this exact number will depend on your car’s own battery charging efficiency.
Here's how long it'll take to bring your car up from 0 to 100%:
- Around 6 hours for a 40 kWh battery
- Around 8.5 hours for a 60 kWh battery
- Roughly 11 hours for a 77 kWh battery
Usually, though, you won't be charging your electric car battery from empty. It's good practice to plug your car in whenever you're at home and leave it to charge for a few hours or overnight. Let's say you're just doing a short commute or nipping to the shops—you might use around 30% of your battery in a day, which will take 2-3 hours to top up.
Something else to note is that the maximum charging speed may be limited by your car's own allowances for charging. It might only allow up to 3.6 kW charging rate, which means that, while a 7 kW charger won't damage your car, you won't benefit from that additional charging power.
Ready to install a home EV charger for faster charging? Learn more about our range of rapid chargers for EVs, suitable for most domestic properties, and contact us to get an electric car home charger installed by our professionals.
How Long Does EV Charging Take With a 22 kW Charger?
Just to quickly touch on charging times with a 22 kW charger, in case your home happens to have three-phase power rather than single-phase electricity (not likely).
But if you can install a 22 kW charger, you can enjoy a charging speed that's around three times faster than a 7 kW unit. So, let's say your car has a 60 kWh battery—this could reach full charge in just under 3 hours.
You're more likely to only experience this superior charging speed with public chargers, like those at motorway service stations or public car parks. That's why you might see some EV owners hogging the same public charging point every day, so they can charge their car super-fast while they do their shopping or wait patiently at a coffee shop. It's still cheaper to charge your electric car at home, though.
How to Find Out Your Electric Car's Battery Charge Time
The easiest way to find out how long it'll take to charge your electric car at home is to check the owner's manual.
If you don't have this (or can't be bothered to find it), you have one of two alternative options.
- You could call the manufacturer and ask them, or search your car online—there's a good chance the charging times will be listed.
- Or, you could get a rough time estimate based on your charger's power rating and your car's battery size.
If you choose option 2, this is easy enough to work out if you have these two figures.
The average power rating of a standard home charger for EVs is 7 kW, so let's say this is the same for your electric car charger.
Now let's say you have a car with a 77 kWh battery, and it needs 35 kWh to fill up. In this case, the charging time will be:
35/7 = 5
That means it'll take roughly five hours for your car battery to reach full charge.
Install a Dedicated Home Charger to Charge Your EV Faster
So, that's all you need to know about how long an electric car takes to charge at home.
Yes, you can charge your EV with a standard three-pin socket. But most EV drivers will tell you that it's far more efficient to install your own home charging setup with a wall box, which will deliver power far superior to your average plug socket.
If you don't plan to head to a public charging point just to enjoy faster charging, you'll want to install your own EV charger at home. Browse our 7 kW rapid chargers here and get a quote for EV car charger installation at your home today.
More on Charging Times For Electric Vehicles at Home: FAQ
Want to know more about how long it'll take to charge an electric car at home? We're answering your commonly asked questions below.
How Many Miles Will a 7kW Charger Go?
A 7 kW EV charger will usually give you 30 miles of range per hour of charging, depending on its efficiency.
What Factors Affect EV Charging Speed?
Factors affecting the time it takes to fully charge an electric car include the size of the battery and the starting charge %, the weather (cold weather slows down the process because the battery takes longer to warm up), the age of the battery, the charger's power rating (public chargers usually have the highest power rating and are fastest), and what home energy tariff you're using.
How Fast Do Electric Vehicles Charge With Smart Home Chargers?
Smart home chargers let you monitor your car's home charging rate and may have a few other smart features, but they don't speed up charging any more than a standard 7 kW charger. Expect a charging time of several hours, depending on the size of your vehicle's battery and how empty it is.
When is the Best Time to Charge an Electric Car?
The best time to charge an EV at home is usually overnight, not because charging will be any faster, but because many charging points are on an electricity tariff offering lower overnight rates.
