EV Charging Stations

To help you understand the differences, here is a quick rundown of the main charger types:

3 kW: home electric socket

Your EV will usually come with a plug that lets you charge from a standard home electric socket. This is very slow compared to other charging methods, so it’s only really useful for occasional or emergency use. Average time to charge a battery from empty is 12 hours.

7 kW: home EV charger

Installing an EV charger at home makes it easy to keep your battery topped up and ready to go. Costs of home chargers vary and they can usually be installed in just a few hours. Average time to charge a battery from empty is 6–8 hours.

22 kW: fast public charger

You will find 22-kW chargers in public places like car parks, supermarkets, and motorway service stations. It is technically possible to get a 22-kW charger at home, but you would need to upgrade to “three-phase electricity,” plus you usually need permission from the network operator. Average time to charge a battery from empty is 3 hours.

50 kW: rapid public charger

Public charging stations often offer the option of rapid charging, which can be especially handy if you are driving a long distance. These chargers quickly fill your EV to 80%, then slow down the rate of charging for the last 20% to protect the health of your battery. Time to charge a battery to 80% is 40 mins.

350 kW: ultra-rapid public charger

You may sometimes see ultra-rapid chargers that offer speeds of up to 350 kW – although very few EVs on the road today can actually charge at this speed. That should change in the years ahead, as technology progresses. Average time to charge a battery to 80% is 20 mins.