How Long Does It Take to Charge an Electric Vehicle?

Electric vehicles are becoming more popular in Covington and with good reasons. Battery technology has improved greatly in the past few years. More and more public charging stations are coming online around Dyersburg and everywhere in North America. Many automakers have made great strides in researching electric vehicles' power plants and motors.

One concern you may have is how long it takes to charge an electric car. Fear not! Our guide from Express Dyersburg Chevrolet explains more about charging an electric vehicle, such as a Hummer EV or Silverado EV.

You have three main options for charging an electric vehicle wherever you travel. Each one depends on the amount of power going into the battery. See how long it takes to charge an electric car based on the charging level and the miles of range added per hour:

• Level 1 Charging: Domestic 110V/120V Outlet
  Your new EV will come with a Level 1 charger. Level 1 is the slowest charging method, but it’s great for topping off the last 30 miles of range. Level 1 chargers provide an estimated four miles of range per charging hour.
• Installed Brand-Approved Level 2 Domestic Charging
  Level 2 (240V+) chargers must be professionally installed in your garage. They can charge your EV much faster than level 1 chargers. Level 2 chargers provide an estimated 24 miles of range per charging hour, or add about six times more power.
• Level 2 Public Charging
  Level 2 public charging stations are more and more common around Union City and in other urban centers. They provide similar charging speeds to level 2 home chargers. Look for 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, which is the fastest method for charging an electric vehicle. You’ll find these public charging stations along major highways and freeways, as well as in major urban centers. Level 3 chargers provide up to 60 to 100 miles of range per twenty minutes of charging.

Plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) have much smaller batteries compared to full EVs. You can travel for 20 to 40 miles on a single charge before a gasoline engine kicks in. Once you get to a public charging station or back home, you can plug in the hybrid battery to recharge it. Typically, these vehicles take between 1 and 4 hours to fully charge.

Most home chargers provide 3.7 kW or 7 kW charging for Level 1. In contrast, Level 2 can deliver up to 19 kW. Public stations offer more powerful options: 22 kW charging, 43-50 kW rapid charging (Level 2), and 150 kW rapid charging (DC Fast Charging). 

Depending on your vehicle, you could achieve a full charge (0-100%) in about an hour with DC Fast Charging. It could take up to 24 to 48 hours with Level 1 charging and around 8 to 10 hours with Level 2 charging at home. We recommend Level 2 charging at home because you can plug in your EV before you go to bed and wake up with a fully charged vehicle.

Contact us or call (731) 882-1042 to schedule a test drive of one of our electric vehicles with our team. In the meantime, pre-qualify for an auto loan with our online application. Our finance team will get back to you with the results!