As more and more car owners switch to EVs (Electric Vehicles), one of their biggest concerns might be “How can I speed up charging an Electric Vehicle? What is affecting EV charging speed?”
In this article, we will explore the factors that affect the charging speed of electric vehicles.
Before we begin, there is something we should know, how do Electric vehicles (EVs) are powered? How does it work?
Electric vehicles (EVs) are powered by batteries that can be charged by plugging in charging equipment like EV chargers, cables with household outlets, or public charging stations.
We know that only two things relate to the charging progress: batteries and charging equipment.
BATTERY
Maximum Charging Speed: Batteries are the most important components of Electric Vehicles, and every Electric Vehicle manufacturer will protect batteries and prolong battery life as the top priority. Each car has its standard maximum charging value while charging, monitoring, and controlling the charging power to maximize the life of the battery. Therefore, the prerequisite for the charging speed is your EV's charging speed limit. Read more from here.
We can simulate a case like this, if you are driving a Kia Soul EV 39.2 kWh, with a nominal capacity of 42kwh, and maximum AC charging input of 7.2kw. You can use an 11kw EV charger, or 22kw EV charger to charge, but eventually it only takes 7.2kw.
Each EV model from each brand has a different battery size, tesla model S(16.5 kW) is different from tesla model Y(11kW), some are designed to charge faster than others, you might wanna check out the charging regulations for your EV.
State: The states we are discussing are outside and inside states.
- The outside state is mainly about the temperature of the environment. In extreme temperatures, to ensure that the battery operates at the optimum temperature (20-25°C) to fully exploit its performance, the BMS battery management system will actively heat or dissipate the intensity of heat based on information about the temperature distribution within the battery pack. When the ambient temperature is higher than this, the BMS system slows the flow of current into the battery to avoid overheating and the charging speed slows down. Read more from here.
- The inside state indicates the progress of charging, when the charging approaches a full charge, like 80%. The charging speed may automatically slow down to prevent damage to the battery. DEPENDING ON THE BMS OF EACH BATTERY
Age: Just like a phone’s battery, the capacity decrease and requires more time to charge fully as batteries aging. This is one of the reasons that people worried about before buying an Electric Vehicle. And for this concern, many EV companies have plenty of solutions. NIO, built up 10 Power Swap Stations (PSS) in Europe 2022, you can simply change the battery within 7 minutes. Tesla has an insurance program for their batteries, which covers the battery for 8 years or 100,000 miles, leaving owners no worry.
Now let's talk about Charging Equipment!
Charging Equipment
There are three levels of charging. Check the form below.
|
Charging Level |
About |
Typical Power Output |
Estimated PHEV Charge Time (Assuming an 8-kWh battery from empty) |
Estimated BEV Charge Time (Assuming an 60-kWh battery from empty) |
|
LEVEL 1 |
The slowest and simplest charging, level 1 charger typically comes with the car, with no installation required, you can plug in a household outlet and begin to charge. If your battery size is small and your daily routine is under 100km. Level 1 charging would be suitable for your EV. |
1 kW |
5-6 hours |
40-50 hours |
|
LEVEL 2 |
The most popular choice for charging at home. A level 2 EV charger(home EV charging station) mostly requires installation, mounts on higher wattage outlets, or be wired separately. You might want to contact a certificated electrician in your area to check if your place has conditions to install EV chargers. |
7 kW to 19 kW |
1-2 hours |
4-10 hours |
|
LEVEL 3 |
A level 3 charger, fast chargers, or DC fast charging is a great option when you are on the road, and didn’t find hotels with EV charging. But not all the EV can accept fast charging, you might want to check your vehicle manual before using one. Attention: High efficiency also leads to damage to the battery. |
50 kW to 350 kW |
N/A |
20 minutes-1 hour |
For EV owners in Europe, not all fast charging stations are equipped with type 2 to type 2 charging cables, so before buying an EV, don’t forget to choose a reliable type 2 to type 2 charging cable. For this, we recommend you check: the GONEO type 2 charging cable, which easily meets your travel requirements. Click here to find more.
By understanding these factors, you can take steps to optimize the charging speed of your EV and get the most out of your electric vehicle.