How Long Does It Take To Charge an Electric Car?

Electric cars are a modern marvel. They have a small carbon footprint, are easier to maintain than gasoline-fueled vehicles, and produce less noise pollution as well. But it's important to consider how far you can drive your electric car before it runs out of power, as there are staggeringly few electric charging stations in the United States.

To answer the question, "How long does it take to charge an electric car?", you must first answer the question, "What kind of electric car?".

Plug-In Hybrid Electric Cars

A PHEV has an electric motor and a rechargeable battery, but it also has a gasoline engine. They can be plugged into an outlet to charge, and after spending that saved power, the gasoline-fueled engine activates, and the car functions like any other non-electric car.

To avoid activating the gasoline engine, it's important to know just how much charge your battery can hold, and how long it takes to achieve a full charge. It all comes down to three factors:

• How large is your battery? The larger the battery, the more energy storage you have.
• What is your battery's max acceptance rate? How quickly can it receive and store electricity?

We found that at the highest rate of acceptance, the average time it took to charge a PHEV battery was 2.5 hours. However, at the lowest rate of acceptance, the average amount of time it took to load a PHEV battery entirely was a whopping 10 hours. Car owners can do themselves a massive favor by investing in a charging station with a higher kW output.

Pure Electric Cars

Without a gasoline engine, pure electric vehicles are powered soley by their batteries and electric motor. The produce no exhaust and are indeed the cleanest electric vehicles in existence today. But how do they compare to PHEVs when it comes to charging time?

Only slightly better. The average charge time at the lowest kW output (1.4kW) is still about 10 hours. However, using a more powerful charger or charging station (3.8kW - 15.4kW) produces a minimum charge time of only one hour.

Pure electric cars can be charged at home using a 240-volt outlet. Drivers should be aware that if you do decide to go with a home outlet (at the proper voltage), the car battery will charge overnight.

In Conclusion

So, how long does it take to charge an electric car? It depends on several factors, such as:

*The size of your car battery.

*How you plan to charge the battery (home outlet, charging station).

*The acceptance rate of the battery.

Pure electric cars can drive 70-200+ miles before running out of charge, so unless you're doing an excessive amount of driving, keeping your electric car charged should never be an issue. By doing your research before making a purchase, you can anticipate your specific charging needs and schedules. Choose an electric vehicle that works for you!