The difference between AC and DC
At home, at work and at most public charging stations you charge with alternating current (AC). Your car's on-board charger converts that current for the battery, and that charger sets the pace: usually 3.7 to 11 kW, sometimes 22 kW.
A rapid charger converts the current itself and charges the battery directly with direct current (DC). That makes it much faster: often 50 to 150 kW, and more with some cars and chargers. How fast your car can rapid-charge is in its specifications.
How long does charging take?
| Where | Power | Adding 40 kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Wall socket with portable charger | 1.4 to 3.7 kW | 11 to 28 hours |
| Charging station at home or at work | 3.7 to 11 kW | 3.5 to 11 hours |
| Rapid charger on the motorway | 50 to 150 kW or more | about 20 to 50 minutes |
For a rapid charger these are averages: your car charges fastest at the start and slows down as the battery fills up.
Why charging slows down after 80%
A battery charges fastest when it's nearly empty. Towards full, the car lowers the power to protect the battery. You can see it clearly at a rapid charger: the last 20% can take almost as long as everything before it. On the road it's often smarter to charge to about 80% and drive on.
What do you need?
- Rapid charging: nothing of your own. The cable is attached to the rapid charger. In Europe that's almost always a CCS plug; a few older models use CHAdeMO.
- Public charging stations (AC): usually your own Type 2 charging cable, because these stations have a socket.
- At home: a charging station or a portable charger. Read Portable charger or charging station: which suits you?
- For public charging you need a charge card or an app to pay.
Charging at home is the basis
Most people do most of their charging at home or at work, while the car is parked anyway. Rapid charging is mainly for long trips. Slow charging at home is also the gentlest for your battery. The number plate check shows which charging cables and chargers fit your car.