Pros And Cons Of Fast Charging Your Car
There are numerous things to consider in terms of fast charging, whether it is at your home setup or in a public space.
- Level 2 is more than twice as quick as Level 1, meaning that just a single hour of charge time is good for 10 to 20 miles of travel. It is also more efficient, by approximately 3%, which positively impacts overall costs.
- DC Fast Charge allows for recharging at times that are relatively comparable to refueling a gasoline-powered vehicle. This also makes it possible to make cross-country trips in a single day rather than having to stop overnight while you make use of a slower charging station.
- In both cases, the variety of different manufacturers means that there is a decent amount of competition and you should be able to find suitable equipment at a reasonable price if you’re looking to install something similar at your office or home space
- Level 2 is quite a bit more expensive than Level 1 in terms of installation and setup, which is only further expounded by the need for specialized equipment, such as strengthened electrical wiring. It also draws far more heavily upon the power grid, which can have an impact on peak kilowatt demand charges.
- Fast Charging units for cars include the same cons as Level 2, only more severe. They also use a different set of connectors, which sometimes causes confusion for new EV owners.
Learn More About Ev Charging
Whatever way you look at it, the time it takes to charge will always be different from putting gas in a tank. Driving an EV is in many ways different from driving a car that runs on gas. Check out our exhaustive EV charging guide to learn everything you need to know about charging an electric car from the costs of charging, and the range of the average car battery, to untangling the difference between EV charging cables, plugs, and connectors.
The Ev Charging Point
The charging point is another major factor to consider when determining the duration of charging an electric car. While it takes 8 hours or less to charge a 60-kWh battery capacity from empty to full, it is essential to note that you need a charging point with at least 7kW.
If you are asking, How long does it take to charge an electric car in UK? The region may not matter so much compared to the factors outlined above. So, irrespective of your region, you must consider the EVs battery capacity and the charging capacity of the charging point.
Also, it is vital to note the interval required for charging your electric car to avoid completely exhausting your EVs battery life so that you dont become stranded somewhere you cannot get a recharge.
Hence, some people ask, How far can an electric car go on one charge? Most electric cars can go as much as 250 miles on a charge while, Tesla cars have a record of going up to 350 miles after a complete charge.
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How Long Does It Take To Charge An Electric Vehicle
There is no simple answer, but knowing the variables will help you better estimate the time it takes for an EV fill-up.
Figuring precisely how long it takes to charge an electric car is akin to asking, “how long does it take to cross the country? It depends whether youre in a plane or on foot. Recharge time is dependent on a host of variables, many of them nuancedeven the length of the charging cable can influence itthat make providing a precise answer impossible. But we can give you some reliable guidelines.
Ignoring some of the lesser variables, the charging time of a vehicle comes down to two primary factors: power source and the vehicle’s charger capacity. Ambient conditions play a smaller part, with both cold- and hot-weather extremes adding to charge time.
Pros Of Using Electric Car
Electric cars are becoming more and more popular as people become more conscious. There are many pros to using electric cars, including:
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The New Mpg: Kilowatt
When you’re shopping for a gasoline-powered car, you pay attention to how many miles per gallon it gets. For plug-in vehicles, mpg isn’t the metric. Instead, an electric car’s energy consumption is measured in kilowatt-hours per 100 miles . That rating is on the car’s EPA fuel economy sticker and in the owner’s manual. Additionally, the federal Department of Energy, which establishes the energy-use ratings, keeps track of them on its fuel economy site, providing one efficiency list for pure electric cars and another for plug-in hybrids.
To figure out your cost of charging at home, multiply your vehicle’s kWh/100 miles figure by the electricity rate the cost per kWh for the time of day you’ll most often be charging . That figure will tell you the cost per 100 miles.
You also can work from the total kilowatt-hours it takes to recharge the EV’s battery. If an EV requires 40 kWh to recharge a fully depleted battery and the rate is 18 cents per kWh, that’s $7.20 for a fill-up.
How Can I Increase The Range Of My Electric Car
Of course, personal driving pleasure stands and falls with the range. As an electric car driver, you are always anxious to be on the road with a sufficiently charged battery. Fortunately, a wallbox at home and the growing public charging network can give you a secure feeling. In addition, our 5 insider tips can help you get the most out of your electric car range.
|
Range after charging 1 hour at wallbox |
Charging time at wallbox¹ |
Charging time at domestic socket¹² |
Plug Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3,7 |4,6 | 6,6³ kW | 25 | 30 | 40 km | ||
| 3,7 |4,6 | 6,6³ kW | 30 | 35 | 55 km | ||
| B-Klasse Sports Tourer B 250 e | 28 kWh | ||
| 3,3 | 4,6 | 6,6³ kW | 20 | 25 | 40 km | ||
| 3,3 | 4,6 | 6,6³ kW | 20 | 25 | 40 km | ||
| 3,3 | 4,6 | 6,6³ | DC 50 kW | 300 km in 40 min | 4:30 h | |
| 3,3 | 4,6 | 6,6³ kW | 15 | 25 | 35 km | ||
| 150 km in 30 min an 50 kW | 8,5 h | ||
| Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Executive | 14,1 kWh | ||
| Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo | 14,1 kWh | ||
| Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Sport Turismo | 14,1 kWh | ||
| Find charging station |
13-13,5 kWh
13,1 kWh
9,5 | 6,5 h
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Drive In A Way That Maximizes Your Range
The Bolt can get an estimated 259 miles out of a full charge, which is on the higher end of the more affordable segment. For those able to splurge on, for example, a newer Tesla Model S, that number jumps significantly, to up to 390 miles. However, these numbers are just estimates, and will be affected by how and where you drive. Since everything in an electric vehicle runs off the battery, minimizing battery use can help extend the range. This includes avoiding use of the heater or air conditioner whenever possible, going easy on the accelerator, and using regenerative braking to slow down.
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According to Shad Balch at Chevrolet Communications, the Bolt batterys ideal temperature is around 72 degrees Fahrenheit. This means that if youre in a cold climate, the first thing the car does when you start it in the morning is to bring the battery up to the right temperature, a process that uses a lot of energy. One of the tricks that you can do, if youre in your garage or a place where theres a charger, is to keep the vehicle plugged in while you power it up, Balch says.
How Long Does It Take To Charge An Electric Car: The Complete Guide For The Uk
If there is one question that is uppermost in the minds of potential buyers of electric vehicles , it is, EV charging time. Individuals migrating to zero-tailpipe emission electric driving or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles , have only experienced re-fuelling at a petrol station, which takes only a few minutes. EV charging is certainly a very different experience!
Of course do keep in mind that charging a pure electric car is slightly different than charging a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle . With a PHEV, one still needs to visit a petrol station to refuel, while with a pure electric car, one never has to visit a petrol station!
Electric vehicle charging times vary significantly, from under 30 minutes for DC charging to several hours for AC charging. A number of factors influence EV charging times . For those new to electric car charging, the charging speed is denoted in KW . In general, the higher the kW, the faster a car will be charged.
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Home Ev Charging Stations
Over the past three years, we have witnessed a significant increase in the availability of home EV charging stations, to include, improved technical performance and lower costs. Home EV chargers can be single-phase or three-phase, but in general most homes in the UK will using a single phase EV charge point .
Charging at home with a dedicated EV charging station like myenergi zappi significantly reduces charging times. As an example, a 60 kWh EV battery charging at 7 kW can be fully charged in just under 8 hours. Most EV owners charge their EV overnight, given the convenience and the lower cost of charging during the night. Yes, you can start every morning with a freshly brewed cup of coffee and a fully charged EV at home!
In general EV owners, do not need to fully charge the EV battery every night. In most cases, the EV is âtopped upâ overnight. The average distance travelled on a journey in the UK is a mere 12 miles. The latest pure electric cars have a WLTP range between 100 miles to 300 miles on a fully charged EV battery, so enough to last for a few days for the average family. We recommend EV owners to top-up on a regular basis, as this reduces the overall time for charging and also avoids the risk of an empty EV battery!
We at e-zoomed strongly recommend buying high quality EV chargers. Follow this link to learn more about our top picks for electric car home chargers.
Renewable Electricity Tariffs For Ev Drivers
Power your electric car and home with our choice of GoElectric EV tariffs.
Sign up to the single-rate version with one fixed price all-day. Then once you have a compatible smart meter, you can choose to move to one of our two-rate versions and benefit from cheaper prices during the off-peak times.
Power rating of 2.3-3kW AC, Single Phase :
- Approx 5 miles range per 30 mins of charging
- Standard UK domestic electricity outlet
- Not designed for prolonged use needed to fully charge an electric car
- Very slow charging with a maximum power output of 3 kW
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How Much To Charge Electric Car At Charging Station Uk
The cost of public charging varies greatly. What youll pay depends on the provider, which may also have different rates based on charging speed, location, and whether you have a subscription. If you take the BP Pulse subscription for example, which starts at £7.85 a month. You can sign up for a free basic membership if you don’t want to subscribe, but you will have to pay a mid-rate tariff starting at 35p/kWh.
Without a free membership, you can connect to any BP Pulse ChargePoint as a visitor and use contactless payments, but you will be charged the highest rate, which starts at 45p/kWh.
And on the other hand if you are lucky enough to have a Tesla, some of the older models still get free charging at designated charging points!
Charging Your EV on the Motorway
Although there are increasingly more options available, you’ll generally find Gridserve charging stations on the motorway. Customers of Gridserve pay 39p per kWh on a 22kW charger, and there is no membership fee.
Youll pay 48p per kWh up to 60kW and 50p up to 350kW when you use Gridserve’s network of quicker chargers. The company’s chargers, which are intended for short top-ups to get you home or to your destination, are said to be able to give 80240 miles of range in just 20 minutes.
Should You Subscribe to a Public Charging Network?
How Long Do Electric Car Batteries Last
Experts suggest that EV batteries will typically last anywhere from 10-20 years, which is longer than most people own a vehicle and longer than most gas-powered engines last. Many EV manufacturers provide a warranty on the battery, typically for eight years and with a promise that your EV battery should still hold at least 70% capacity after eight years.
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About Fast Charging And How To Find Fast Charging Points For Your Electric Car
Across America, there are a variety of different public charging stations, and while finding where they are located may sound complicated, you can use the Chargeway app to simplify things significantly. Simply enter the make and model of your car, and the app color codes all the nearby stations on a map to show you which you can use and which to avoid. Alternatively, finding a suitable station is as easy as using your mobile device or the onboard EV app to search for “charging car charging stations near me.” Some of the best applications include ChargeHub, Open Charge Map, and PlugShare. If you have to drive long distances, your navigation app will often factor in such stops along the way.
Tesla owners also get exclusive access to the company’s Supercharger network, which offers the fastest DC charging, as well as the standard destination chargers. Sometimes, using these are free, but even if you have to pay, they are remarkably affordable. On average, Tesla owners will only be charged $0.28/kWh.
Types Of Electric Car Chargers
There are three levels of charging equipment available to use for home and public electric car charging. Its important to note it takes the same amount of time for an EV battery to charge from 80 percent to 100 percent as it does to charge from 10 percent to 80 percent. This is because fully charging to 100 percent can be harder on the battery, and packing in that last 10-20 percent of battery capacity always takes longer. However, there may be instances where you want to charge your battery to 100 percent, such as just before a long road trip.
Level 1:
The most basic way to charge a plug-in or electric vehicle is with home charging equipment. All plug-in hybrid vehicles and battery electric vehicles come with a 110-volt or Level 1, home charging kit that enables your vehicle to plug into a standard wall outlet with an adapter. This method doesnt require modifying your houses electrical system in any way, but it only provides three to five miles of range per hour of charging. This can be adequate for plug-ins, but if you want to maximize your vehicles all-electric range, its not very efficient. To put this charging rate into perspective, it would take 20-40 hours to charge a Tesla Model S, depending on its battery capacity and range. A Hyundai IONIQ 5 would take up to 43 hours.
Level 2:
A Chevrolet Bolt with 259 miles of range will take about 9.5 hours to charge from zero to 100 percent full on a level 2 home charging system.
Level 3: DC Fast Charging
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How Charging Stations Work
Charging stations are an important part of the electric car infrastructure. But what do they do and how do they work? A charging station is a big battery. It takes power from the grid and stores it until the electric car needs it. When the car is plugged in, the charging station supplies power to the car, charging its batteries.
The duration of the charge depends on how much power the car needs and how much power the station can supply. A typical charge might take four to eight hours. But if youre topping off your batteries, it might only take a few minutes.
Charging stations come in all shapes and sizes. Some are a big box on the side of the road. Others are more like a gas station, with a canopy and many charging stations.
Most charging stations use Level 2 charging, which means they supply 240 volts of power. This is the same kind of power you get from a clothes dryer outlet. Level 3 charging stations are also starting to become available. These supply 480 volts of power and can charge a car much faster, in 30 minutes or less.
Charging stations are an important part of the electric car infrastructure. They provide a place for drivers to recharge their cars. And they help to ensure that electric cars are always ready to go.
