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How fast do electric cars really charge?

How fast do electric cars charge?
How fast do electric cars charge?

With the adoption of electric cars only accelerating as manufacturers put more and more money behind them, as ZEV mandate legislation pushes their adoption ever harder, and as customers move in greater and greater numbers to trade in their combustion-engined cars in favour of them, one main barrier to ownership looms in the minds of those unsure whether an EV will meet their needs: the charging question.

How and where will I charge? How long will it take? And is the infrastructure in place?

For most owners who’ve already adopted, and many of those still to, home charging is and will remain key to making an EV practical. But for plenty of others, home charging will never be possible, and urban charging infrastructure on residential streets is proving slow to appear.

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Public DC rapid charging, then, will remain critically important for a great many, and for a considerable time to come. But even now, there are big differences in the rate at which one electric car may be capable of charging, out in the real world and away from the spec sheet, compared with another. So how fast can new EVs charge right now, assuming you find the right charger? And which are the quickest?

Since the autumn of 2022, Autocar has been benchmark testing the rapid-charge performance of all electric cars that undergo our full road test, and below you can see the results. They reveal several important facts: that true charging speed can be a far cry from any car’s claimed peak rate, when you calculate an average across the full breadth of available battery capacity. Also, that the rate of rapid charge of all EVs should be expected to slow down considerably as their batteries fill up. Some cars, however, slow considerably more than others.

How we test electric car charging speeds

Our approach to our rapid charge test is simply to use a rapid charger of sufficient capacity to meet the test car’s peak charging rate; and to observe and record how much power is actually drawn by the car as it passes a 10%, 30%, 50%, 70% and 90% state of charge (SOC).

Practicability dictates that we cannot use the same DC charger for every test and, while we pre-condition the car’s battery before charging where possible, many EVs don’t allow this once battery condition has dropped below 10%.

We then average our test results with a weighting that reflects the need that rapid charging typically meets for EV drivers. Public rapid charging is relatively expensive compared with home charging. Most use it to extend the range of their cars for a particular journey, rather than as a regular habit, and as a result few rapid charge from less than 20% charge, or to beyond 80% (because doing that isn’t time-efficient or beneficial to battery longevity).

For that reason, the rapid charge rate demonstrated by a new car as it passes 50% SOC contributes three times as much towards our aggregated charge rate result as the equivalent rate indicated at either 10% or 90%; and likewise, the rates recorded at 70% and 30% are doubly important as those at the extremes of the battery condition spectrum.

So, would you expect one of the best-value electric cars in Britain to appear within the top half of this list? Would you expect to see a top three without a Tesla in it? Here are the quickest- and slowest-charging electric cars that Autocar has yet road tested.

1. Porsche Taycan GTS Sport Turismo (2023)

Claimed peak rate: 270kW

Peak rate on test: 263kW

Average test charge rate: 198kW

Usable battery capacity: 83.7kWh

Test charger: Ads-tec/Porsche Engineering HBD 1120, operated by Porsche

Test charge conditions: dry, 22deg C

Porsche Taycan GTS Sport Turismo review

2. Audi E-tron GT Vorsprung (2023)

Claimed peak rate: 270kW

Peak rate on test: 248kW

Average test charge rate: 189kW

Usable battery capacity: 83.7kWh

Test charger: Tritium TRI 121-350, operated by Gridserve

Test charge conditions: dry, 7deg C

Audi E-tron GT review

3. Hyundai Ioniq 6 RWD Ultimate (2023)

Claimed peak rate: 233kW

Peak rate on test: 229kW

Average test charge rate: 180kW

Usable battery capacity: 77.4kWh

Test charger: Tritium TRI 121-350, operated by Gridserve

Test charge conditions: dry, 13deg C

Hyundai Ioniq 6 review

4. Kia EV9 GT-Line S

Claimed peak rate: 210kW

Peak rate on test: 210kW

Average test charge rate: 170kW

Usable battery capacity: 99.8kWh

Test charger: Kempower Satellite Charger, 400kW

Test charge conditions: dry, 12deg C

Kia EV9 review

5. Kia EV6 GT

Claimed peak rate: 350kW

Peak rate on test: 224kW

Average test charge rate: 169kW

Usable battery capacity: 77.4kWh

Test charger: Tritium TRI121-350, operated by Gridserve

Test charge conditions: dry, 30deg C

Kia EV6 GT review

6. Tesla Model S Plaid

Claimed peak rate: 250kW

Peak rate on test: 254kW

Average test charge rate: 151kW

Usable battery capacity: 97kWh (est)

Test charger: Tesla Supercharger V3

Test charge conditions: dry, 18deg C

Tesla Model S Plaid review

7. BMW i7 xDrive60 M Sport (2023)

Claimed peak rate: 195kW

Peak rate on test: 196kW

Average test charge rate: 148kW

Usable battery capacity: 101.7kWh

Test charger: Tritium TRI 121-350, operated by Gridserve

Test charge conditions: dry, 8deg C

BMW i7 review

8. Rolls-Royce Spectre (2023)

Claimed peak rate: 195kW

Peak rate on test: 194kW

Average test charge rate: 135kW

Usable battery capacity: 102kWh

Test charger: Kempower Satellite Charger, 400kW

Test charge conditions: dry, 11deg C

Rolls-Royce Spectre review

9. Mercedes EQE 350+ AMG Line Premium (2022)

Claimed peak rate: 170kW

Peak rate on test: 165kW

Average test charge rate: 131kW

Usable battery capacity: 90.6kWh

Test charger: Tritium TRI 121-350, operated by Gridserve

Test charge conditions: dry, 13deg C

Mercedes EQE 350+ review

10. Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor (2023)

Claimed peak rate: 205kW

Peak rate on test: 192kW

Average test charge rate: 124kW

Usable battery capacity: 79kWh

Test charger: Tritium TRI 121-350, operated by Gridserve

Test charge conditions: dry, 29deg C

Polestar 2 review

11. BMW i5 eDrive40 M Sport

Claimed peak rate: 205kW

Peak rate on test: 198kW

Average test charge rate: 122kW

Usable battery capacity: 81.2kWh

Test charger: Tritium TRI 121-350, operated by Gridserve

Test charge conditions: dry, 12deg C

BMW i5 review

12. Hyundai Ioniq 5 77kWh RWD Ultimate

Claimed peak rate: 225kW

Peak rate on test: 152kW

Average test charge rate: 121kW

Usable battery capacity: 77.4kWh

Test charger: Tritium TRI 121-350, operated by Gridserve

Test charge conditions: dry, 1 deg C

Hyundai Ioniq 5 review

13. Tesla Model 3 Long Range (2024)

Claimed peak rate: 250kW

Peak rate on test: 219kW

Average test charge rate: 117kW

Usable battery capacity: 75.0kWh (est)

Test charger: Tesla V3 Supercharger

Test charge conditions: dry, 14 deg C

Tesla Model 3 review

14. Volkswagen ID Buzz SWB Style Pro (2023)

Claimed peak rate: 170kW

Peak rate on test: 185kW

Average test charge rate: 114kW

Usable battery capacity: 77.0kWh

Test charger: Tritium TRI 121-350, operated by Gridserve

Test charge conditions: dry, 9deg C

Volkswagen ID Buzz review

15. Audi Q8 E-tron 55 Quattro Vorsprung (2024)

Claimed peak rate: 170kW

Peak rate on test: 136kW

Average test charge rate: 110kW

Usable battery capacity: 106kWh

Test charger: Tritium TRI 121-350, operated by Gridserve

Test charge conditions: dry, 4 deg C

Audi Q8 E-tron review

16. MG Motor MG 4 Long Range SE

Claimed peak rate: 135kW

Peak rate on test: 139kW

Average test charge rate: 109kW

Usable battery capacity: 61.7kWh

Test charger: ABB HP CP500 CJ, operated by Gridserve

Test charge conditions: rain, 4 deg C

MG Motor MG 4 review

17. Volvo C40 Recharge Plus Single Motor (2023)

Claimed peak rate: 150kW

Peak rate on test: 134kW

Average test charge rate: 104kW

Usable battery capacity: 67.0kWh

Test charger: Tritium TRI 121-350, operated by Gridserve

Test charge conditions: dry, 14deg C

Volvo C40 Recharge review

18. BYD Seal Design RWD

Claimed peak rate: 150kW

Peak rate on test: 135kW

Average test charge rate: 102kW

Usable battery capacity: 85kWh (est)

Test charger: Fastned/Gridserve, 350kW

Test charge conditions: dry, 3 deg C

BYD Seal review

19. Smart #1 Premium

Claimed peak rate: 150kW

Peak rate on test: 154kW

Average test charge rate: 97kW

Usable battery capacity: 62kWh

Test charger: Fastned, 350kW

Test charge conditions: dry, 12 deg C

Smart #1 review

20. Polestar 2 BST Edition 270 (2023)

Claimed peak rate: 150kW

Peak rate on test: 150kW

Average test charge rate: 97kW

Usable battery capacity: 75.0kWh

Test charger: Alpitronic HYC 150, operated by Instavolt

Test charge conditions: light rain, 12 deg C

Polestar 2 BST Edition review

21. BMW iX1 xDrive30 xLine (2023)

Claimed peak rate: 130kW

Peak rate on test: 125kW

Average test charge rate: 96kW

Usable battery capacity: 64.7kWh

Test charger: Hypercharger HYC_150, operated by MFG EV Power

Test charge conditions: dry, 7 deg C

BMW iX1 review

22. Toyota BZ4X AWD Motion (2022)

Claimed peak rate: 150kW

Peak rate on test: 147kW

Average test charge rate: 89kW

Usable battery capacity: 64.0kWh

Test charger: ABB HP CP500C, operated by Ionity

Test charge conditions: not recorded

Toyota bZ4X review

23. Tesla Model Y RWD (2023)

Claimed peak rate: 250kW

Peak rate on test: 127kW

Average test charge rate: 89kW

Usable battery capacity: 82.0kWh (est)

Test charger: V2 Supercharger, operated by Tesla

Test charge conditions: dry, 16deg C

Tesla Model Y review

24. Lexus RZ 450e (2023)

Claimed peak rate: 150kW

Peak rate on test: 138kW

Average test charge rate: 84kW

Usable battery capacity: 64.0kWh (est)

Test charger: ABB HP CP500C, operated by Ionity

Test charge conditions: dry, 12 deg C

Lexus RZ review

25. Subaru Solterra AWD Touring (2023)

Claimed peak rate: 150kW

Peak rate on test: 147kW

Average test charge rate: 78kW

Usable battery capacity: 64.0kWh

Test charger: Tritium TRI 121-350, operated by Gridserve

Test charge conditions: dry, 6 deg C

Subaru Solterra review

26. Renault Megane E-Tech EV60 Techno

Claimed peak rate: 130kW

Peak rate on test: 126kW

Average test charge rate: 75kW

Usable battery capacity: 60kWh

Test charger: Tritium TRI 121-350, operated by Gridserve

Test charge conditions: dry, 20 deg C

Renault Megane E-Tech review

27. Jeep Avenger Electric Summit

 

Claimed peak rate: 100kW

Peak rate on test: 103kW

Average test charge rate: 67kW

Usable battery capacity: 50.8kWh

Test charger: ABB Terra 360, operated by Gridserve

Test charge conditions: wet, 8 deg C

Jeep Avenger review

28. BYD Atto 3 (2023)

Claimed peak rate: 88kW

Peak rate on test: 89kW

Average test charge rate: 62kW

Usable battery capacity: 60.0kWh (est)

Test charger: ABB HP CP500 CJ, operated by Gridserve

Test charge conditions: dry, 12 deg C

BYD Atto 3 review

29. Abarth 500e Turismo

Claimed peak rate: 85kW

Peak rate on test: 86kW

Average test charge rate: 61kW

Usable battery capacity: 37.3kWh

Test charger: Circontrol EV-Raption 150 CCS, operated by MFG EV Power

Test charge conditions: dry, 17 deg C

Abarth 500e review

30. Honda e:Ny1 Advance

Claimed peak rate: 78kW

Peak rate on test: 74kW

Average test charge rate: 61kW

Usable battery capacity: 61.9kWh

Test charger: Tritium TRI121-350, operated by Gridserve

Test charge conditions: dry, 16 deg C

Honda e:Ny1 review

31. Citroën e-C4 X Shine (2023)

Claimed peak rate: 100kW

Peak rate on test: 89kW

Average test charge rate: 61kW

Usable battery capacity: 46.2kWh

Test charger: Tritium TRI121-350, operated by Gridserve

Test charge conditions: dry, 11 deg C

Citroën e-C4 X review

32. GWM Ora 03 (2023)

Claimed peak rate: 64kW

Peak rate on test: 61kW

Average test charge rate: 47kW

Usable battery capacity: 45.4kWh

Test charger: ABB HP CP500 CJ, operated by Gridserve

Test charge conditions: unrecorded

GWM Ora 03 review

33. Kia Soul Urban (2023)

Claimed peak rate: 44kW

Peak rate on test: 45kW

Average test charge rate: 38kW

Usable battery capacity: 39.2kWh

Test charger: ABB HP CP500 CJ, operated by Gridserve

Test charge conditions: not recorded

Kia Soul review

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