How Long Does It Take to Charge an EV?

Charging an EV: what are your options?

How long it takes to charge an EV depends on the charger being used. EVs can be charged via anything from a 2kW wall socket to a 300kW super-fast charger.

The most common options include:

• 2kW at-home charger (wall socket)
• 7kW at-home charger (AC)
• 22kW fast charger (AC)
• 50kW fast charger (DC)
• 300kW fast charger (DC)

It’s worth noting that the above list does not comprise all charging options. For example, certain at-home chargers go up to 22kW while some public charging stations offer both 38kW and 150kW chargers.

How long does it take to charge an EV?

This question falls somewhat into the “how long is a piece of string” category. As there are several factors to consider:

• The type of charger being used – is it an AC or DC charger?
• The wattage of the charger – a 300kW charger will be faster than a 7kW one
• Your EV – different models have different charge times
• The temperature – can impact efficiency. If it’s too cold batteries become sluggish
• The portion of the battery is being charged – lithium batteries charge more slowly as they fill. So charging from 20% to 40% will be quicker than from 70% to 90%
• CCS-2 vs CHAdeMO – these are the two standard connection protocols in EVs, but only CCS-2 is capable of ultra-fast speeds, such as 300kW
• Battery capacity – if your basing charge times on how long to fully charge the battery, that’ll depend on the battery’s capacity. A full charge will be quicker for a vehicle with 280km of range than a vehicle with 480km of range

Average charging times

While the above highlights how difficult it can be to narrow down how quickly your EV will charge, the below figures (based on figures sourced via ChargeNet) provide an estimated guide.

When charging your EV for one hour you can expect:

• 10km of range on a standard 2kW at-home charger (wall socket)
• 30-40km of range on a 7kW at-home charger
• 132km of range on a 25kW fast charger
• 264km of range on a 50kW fast charger
• 1600km of range on a 300kW fast charger

Of course, you don’t have to charge your EV for a full hour. So depending on the charger used, you may find that even just 10-20 minutes is plenty.

Fast charging vs at-home charging: which is best?

As you can see above, fast charging provides a clear benefit in terms of the speeds on offer. Especially if your only option at home is the standard wall socket. However, it’s worth noting that fast charging is typically more expensive than what you’d pay at home on your standard electricity rates. Especially if you have an electricity plan that caters for your EV use.

→Related article: EV Power Plans: The Best Power Plans for Electric Vehicles

Although fast charging is getting cheaper for some. AA SmartFuel points can now be used at ChargeNet stations, while Genesis Energy’s EVerywhere plan allows EV owners to pay their at-home electricity rates when using ChargeNet charging stations.

Furthermore, some EV manufacturers advise that DC charging can lead to faster battery degradation. So regularly using DC chargers could hamper the range of your vehicle and even lead to needing a replacement earlier in your vehicle’s lifespan. For this reason, it’s generally advised that at-home charging is your go-to for a daily charge, with fast charging stations used only when needed.

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How much does it cost to install an EV charger?

The total price of an EV charger is determined by your property type and installation cost, but prices for a smart charger and standard installation tend to start from around $2000+.

For Electric Kiwi customers, you can get both a discount on the charger and the option to pay it off over 12 months via an interest-free loan, thanks to its partnership with Evnex. You can learn more about it here.

Alternatively, several mortgage lenders offer specialised loan products for sustainable upgrades. These loans are typically interest-free (or incredibly low interest) for a set period of time and can be used for a host of upgrades such as installing solar panels, water tanks, and of course EV chargers.

Some lenders even let you use the loan to buy an electric car!

→Related article: Sustainable Home Loans NZ: What’s on Offer

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Canstar Blue’s latest review of NZ power companies compares them on customer satisfaction. The table below is an abridged version of our full results, available here.

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About the author of this page

This report was written by Canstar Content Producer, Andrew Broadley. Andrew is an experienced writer with a wide range of industry experience. Starting out, he cut his teeth working as a writer for print and online magazines, and he has worked in both journalism and editorial roles. His content has covered lifestyle and culture, marketing and, more recently, finance for Canstar.