- EV charging time can vary considerably depending on the vehicle, according to a Consumer Reports study
- Automaker estimates for charging aren’t necessarily accurate in the real world
- Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis had some of the quickest charging times, while EVs from Subaru and Toyota were the slowest
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You may be plugging your electric vehicle (EV) into a DC fast-charger, but exactly how fast is “fast”? According to a new report from Consumer Reports, charging time can vary considerably between EVs, despite the estimates provided by automakers. The study found that EVs from Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis – and specifically the Kia EV6 – were among the quickest to charge, while the siblings-under-the-skin Subaru Solterra and Toyota BZ4X were the slowest.
“Unfortunately, there’s no standard measurement for reporting how quickly an EV can charge or add miles of range,” said Alex Knizek, associate director of auto test development at Consumer Reports (CR). “That makes it difficult for consumers to compare vehicles when shopping for a new EV.”
CR looked at both Level 2 and DC fast-charging. Level 2 indicates a 240-volt charger; virtually all home chargers are Level 2, as are many public chargers where they’re often scattered about such as at stores, hotels, libraries, or in parking lots. DC fast-chargers are very expensive to install, and are usually found in public stations with several available, including Tesla Supercharger stations.
How quickly a vehicle charges depends on a few factors, including the charger’s kW rating, and the rate at which the vehicle can accept it. DC fast-chargers are generally rated between 50 kW and 350 kW – the higher the number, the faster the charging speed – with Tesla Superchargers able to charge at 250 kW.
But vehicles can also vary, and CR gives the example of a 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 with a maximum acceptance rate of 240 kW — so if plugged into a 350-kW charger, it could potentially add 11.6 miles (18.6 km) in one minute. Conversely, a 2017 Chevrolet Bolt is only rated for 50 kW, and that’s all it can accept no matter what the charger’s speed is. CR estimates it would get only 2.9 miles (4.6 km) per minute. Charging on a Level 2 240-volt charger can also vary, depending on how much the vehicle can accept at that level.
While not mentioned in the study, we at Driving will note that it’s common for stations to bill you based on the time spent charging, rather than the electricity used — and that means that someone whose EV charges quickly will potentially pay less than someone whose vehicle takes longer to accept the same amount of electricity.
CR crunched the data provided by the automakers, assuming optimal charging conditions on a 350-kW charger. Using that, it estimates these new EVs can potentially plug into a DC fast-charger and receive more than 10 miles (16 km) of range in one minute (noting that older versions of these vehicles may not charge at the same speeds):
- Audi E-Tron GT
- Chevrolet Silverado EV
- Genesis Electrified GV70
- Genesis Electrified G80
- Genesis GV60
- GMC Sierra EV
- Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Hyundai Ioniq 6
- Kia EV6
- Lucid Air
- Porsche Taycan
- Tesla Model 3
- Tesla Model S
- Tesla Model X
- Tesla Model Y
These vehicles, when plugged into the fastest DC charger they can handle, added five miles (eight km) per minute:
For vehicles plugged into a 240-volt, 40-amp Level 2 charger, these new EVs can add 30 miles (48 km) of range per hour, and up to 50 miles (80.4 km) on an 80-amp unit, more common in commercial settings than in home charging:
- Fiat 500e
- Hyundai Kona Electric
- Kia EV6
- Kia Niro Electric
- Lucid Air
- Tesla Model 3
- Tesla Model S
- Tesla Model Y
These new EVs only added 20 miles (32.1 km) per hour on a 40-amp Level 2 charger. Those with asterisks charged more quickly on an 80-amp charger:
- Chevrolet Silverado EV*
- Ford F-150 Lightning*
- GMC Sierra EV*
- Nissan Ariya
- Subaru Solterra
- Toyota BZ4X
How quickly a vehicle charges depends on several factors, including the battery’s temperature and how much of a charge it already has. Some vehicles can precondition their batteries for optimal charging temperature when they’re aware through the navigation system that you’re heading toward a charging station. Charging speeds will also slow down considerably once the battery achieves 80% of charge, which helps to increase their lifespan — in some cases, that last 20% of charge can take as long as the first 80% did.
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