How Long Does It Take to Charge an Electric Car?

If you’re thinking about switching to an electric car (EV), then you’ll need to consider how long it’ll take to charge your vehicle. An electric car’s charging time will vary depending on the type of vehicle you drive, its battery size, and the kind of charging method you use. There are different charging methods that offer different charging speeds, and Aristocrat Motors Topeka covers the different methods of keeping your electric car charged. 

After taking a look at our guide, see which of our electric Volkswagen models would be perfect for your Topeka commute!

Electric Car Charging Options 

So, how long does it take to charge an electric car? It all depends on the charger you use. Here are the different kinds of charging methods you’ll be able to use for your EV: 

• Level 1 Charging: Domestic 110V/120V Outlet

Your new EV will come with a Level 1 charger. Most drivers keep this in the vehicle as a backup rather than using it as a sole charging method. Level 1 chargers provide an estimated four miles of range per hour of charge.

• Installed Brand-Approved Level 2 Domestic Charging

Level 2 (240V+) chargers must be professionally installed, and they can charge your EV much faster than Level 1 chargers. Level 2 chargers provide an estimated 24 miles of range per charging hour.

• Level 2 Public Charging

Level 2 public charging stations are more and more common around Kansas City, and they provide similar charging speeds to Level 2 home chargers. You can often find them at major retailers like Walgreens, Kohl’s, and Whole Foods, as well as at universities, hotels, and parking garages.

• Level 3 Rapid Charging

Some public chargers offer 150 kW rapid charging, and these can power up your EV faster than any other charging method. However, they’re usually only available along major highways and freeways and can’t be installed at home. Level 3 chargers provide up to 60 to 100 miles of range per twenty minutes of charging.

Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) Electric Car Charging Time

Do you drive a plug-in hybrid (PHEV)? Your charging times could be much lower. Chances are this type of vehicle will take between one to four hours to fully charge. Why? Plug-in hybrid vehicles don’t rely solely on electricity as an energy source! Often, they use electric power for a small amount of time or at certain speeds, then they switch over to gasoline power. 

Average Public Charging Electric Car Charging Time

Most home chargers offer 3.7 kW or 7 kW charging. Public stations, on the other hand, offer 22 kW charging, 43-50 kW rapid charging, and 150 kW rapid charging. As a result, for some applicable vehicles, you could foreseeably get a full charge (0-100%) in an hour or so. In other cases, it could take four hours, six hours, or 11 hours for a full charge. 

Keep Your EV Charged in Topeka!

How long does it take to charge an electric car at our dealership? Contact us to explore our Volkswagen inventory, or visit our dealership near Manhattan in person at any point in time!