Charging Speeds Electric Cars: Home And Public Charging

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Where Are Electric Cars Charged Mostly?

The constant headlines on public EV charging infrastructure, would lead you to believe that electric vehicles (EVs) are charged mostly at public charging points. However, the reality could not be further from this, in fact, the majority of electric vehicles are charged at home, using a dedicated EV home charging point, like myenergi zappi. It is estimated that nearly 80% of charging sessions are done at home!

Most electric cars are charged overnight, hence the reason why the National Grid has taken such a keen interest in the growth of the electric vehicle sector in the UK. So far, the national grid had to only contend with kettles and TVs coming on across the UK in the evenings, but now it has to add EVs to the list!

Despite the continued growth of public charging EV points in the UK, home charging will continue to be the dominant destination for charging your electric car, whether it is the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) or battery-electric vehicle (BEV).

Top 2 Reasons Why Home Charging Is The Preferred Choice For Electric Car Charging!
Convenience:	It could not get easier to charge an EV. Plug it in and go to sleep. Wake up next morning to a fully charged zero emission electric car that can be used for work and leisure commutes. Ask any EV driver if they miss the numerous trips to filling stations in the rain and cold? ‘No’ will be the resounding response!
Cost Effective:	Home charging is more cost effective than public charging. According to the Energy Saving Trust (EST), the average cost of electricity for households is 14.33 pence per kWh. Public charging can be as high as 40 pence per kWh, if not higher!

How Long Does It Take To Charge An Electric Car?

Time taken to charge your EV will also depend on the size of the electric car battery. Most EV batteries are lithium-ion and the size (capacity) of the battery is represented in kWh. Yes, ‘all things being equal’, the larger the capacity, the longer the emission-free range and the longer the battery will take to recharge!

In general, charging an electric car at home is slower than charging at public charging points. Most homes in the U.K are powered by ‘single-phase’ electricity supply, that restricts the speed at which an electric car can be charged to single-phase. Usually the maximum charging rate is 7.4 kW (charging speeds are measured in kilowatts).

In most cases (if not all), home charging is AC charging, while public charging is a combination of AC and DC charging. Public charging offers the opportunity to charge faster than home, and in the case of rapid and ultra-rapid DC charging, the time is far quicker than home charging. Though it depends on the size of the onboard EV battery, using a rapid DC charger, an EV can be charged up to 80% in less than 45 minutes. Ultra-rapid DC chargers offer even faster charging speeds, whereby an electric car can be charged up to 80% in 30 minutes.

For residential EV charging, depending on the size of the onboard EV battery, and the type of dedicated EV charger, achieving a 100% charge for a pure electric car will take between 7 hours and 11 hours. Though an eelctric car can be charged via a 3-PIN domestic socket, we at e-zoomed, discourage the use of a domestic socket for charging an electric car. To put EV charging time in perspective using an example (60 kWh EV battery), a domestic 3-pin plug will take up to 20 hours to charge your electric car (slow charging). Apart from safety reasons, using a 3-pin to charge an EV is a waste of time! So please upgrade to a dedicated home charging point.

Some homes have a ‘three-phase’ electricity supply, more commonly seen in commercial premises. If you happen to have a 3 phase connection, you can charge up to 22 kW (but limited to the on-board charger of the electric car). Yes, faster charging time than a single-phase connection! For those of you envious of your neighbours 3 phase connection, no, you cannot drive across to your local DIY store and upgrade you connection to phase 3. For any such ‘grid’ related activity you need highly qualified experts, and best to make contact with your local DNO (distribution network operator).

Charging Times (Overview)
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW):	6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC)
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW):	3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging AC (43 kW):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+):	0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW):	0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)

Tips For Electric Car Charging
Do not wait for the battery to be fully discharged to recharge. Regular top up charging, like a mobile phone is prudent. If there is workplace charging, then use it.
Charge on a regular basis overnight (cheaper electricity costs).
When making longer distance trips, plan ahead. Using Charge Map to identify charging stations and the type of chargers.

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