10 Sep 2021

It’s no secret that electric cars are becoming increasingly more popular, so, with that in mind, a lot of people automatically have a lot of questions. The first of these is usually, “how long does it take to charge an electric car?” – unfortunately, there’s not a one-word answer to this – helpful, we know. 

If you’re unsure, don’t worry, this post will cover every consideration you should bear in mind when wondering how long it takes to charge an electric car. From battery size to the weather, many factors need to be accounted for when charging electric vehicles. 

 

We’ll cover: 

 

Battery Size

In everyday terms, charging an electric car is similar to charging a mobile phone – if you need to charge, you should top it up during the day and give it a full charge overnight at home. Quite simply, the bigger the battery capacity, the longer it’ll take to charge. 

A larger battery will require a higher voltage to reach full charge, whereas, smaller batteries won’t require the same level of output. Of course, if you don’t have an adequate output level, it’ll take a lot longer to charge your battery than it would if you had the right one designed for your battery size. 

 

Battery Status

Whether your battery is completely flat or half-charged, the status of your battery will affect how quickly your electric car will be charged. Of course, if you’re just topping up from 50 percent, you only have half as much to charge up – therefore, it’s going to be quicker than charging it from flat, right? 

The status of your battery has a massive influence on the rate that your electric vehicle charges at. Using the mobile phone example again, should you try and charge your phone from being flat out – it’ll take longer than charging from 50 percent, won’t it? Electric cars are just the same. 

 

Maximum Charging Rate of Your Vehicle

The maximum charge rate of your vehicle will influence the speed that your vehicle charges at. For example, a vehicle with a max charge rate of 7kw, it’s not going to charge as fast as one with a max charge rate of 22kw, is it? The one with more power and larger output capacity will charge quicker.

With electric cars, you should always bear this in mind. We know what it’s like, fueling a normal car only takes two minutes for a full tank, however, electric cars take considerably longer to reach maximum battery. Therefore, make sure you plan well ahead, you don’t want to be caught short at the last minute. 

 

Maximum Charging Rate of the Charge Point

Also, you can’t charge a 7kw vehicle with a charger suitable for 22kw – it doesn’t work like that. Even though your car will charge, it’ll only charge at the maximum rate of your vehicle. Therefore, even though the charge point may be larger than your battery, it’ll still charge at the same rate. 

 

 

Again, this should be considered when charging your car. Make sure you give yourself ample time so that you can charge your car up to an adequate level. The last thing you want is to not have enough charge before you set off on your journey and need to add an unnecessary stop in there – adding to your journey time. 

 

Weather Conditions

How can the weather conditions change the rate that your electric vehicle charges up? Surely that’s not a thing? Well, we can confirm – it is! During colder temperatures, vehicles generally take longer to charge. Which in the UK, that’s all we get isn’t it? So, be prepared for longer charge times in colder temperatures.

 

IDES: Electric Vehicle Charge Point Experts

At IDES, we work closely with our customers to help them with all of their electric vehicle charge point needs and requirements. Whether it’s an individual customer that needs a charge point fitting at home or a business that needs multiple units installing to assist their commercial fleet, we’re versatile in our approach. 

We’re recognised by the Office for Zero-Emission Vehicles (OZEV) as an authorised installer – meaning that our clients can take advantage of a grant (up to £350) to contribute towards each charge point socket that we install. Therefore, you can minimise the cost of your investment to make yourselves more efficient. 

These grants are in line with the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) or the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS). Also, we’re approved by a wide range of popular manufacturers – this means that we’re capable of advising our customers which bespoke fitting is most suitable. 

 

 

Throughout the UK, we offer free consultations and surveys. So, our expert team will come and visit your home address or business, that way, we can give a more accurate quote for the charge point you need to meet all your unique requirements. Without assessing each site closely, we’d be relying on assumptions.

When having your electric charge point installed, you need to make sure that you can instil full trust in your supplier, don’t you? Otherwise, you could end up with a completely unsuitable unit and be left needing to reinvest. Plus, without a bespoke unit that matches your needs, you’re not going to maximise your efficiency. 

At IDES, we’re vastly experienced in working with individual customers and businesses alike to install adequate electric vehicle charging stations. We know what we’re doing – so you needn’t worry about anything. Plus, should you encounter any problems, our maintenance team is always on hand to help you out. 

 

Find Out More About Electric Vehicle Charging Today!

Making the switch to electric cars can seem daunting – however, it doesn’t need to be. Like anything, naturally, people don’t like change but making the move to electric just requires the correct level of preparation and commitment. At IDES, we’re here to help you make the move – plus, make sure that everything runs as smoothly as possible. 

Should you have any questions or queries, please don’t hesitate to contact our expert team. We’re always on hand to help and can alleviate any unnecessary pre-electric vehicle switch worries too. Or, if you’re ready for a further conversation about installing an electric vehicle charge point – we look forward to hearing from you. 

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