Find out exactly how long it takes to charge your electric vehicle from any battery level to your target, at any charger speed.
Your EV Battery
Select a popular EV or enter your battery details manually
kWh
kW
Battery Level
Set your current charge and target charge level
20%
0%50%99%
80%
1%50%100%
Charger Type and Speed
Select your charger or enter a custom power output
kW
Additional Settings
Optional details for a more accurate estimate
$/kWh
Estimated Charge Time
Battery Level Progress
From 20%To 80%
0%25%50%75%100%
–:–
Charge Complete
0 kW
Actual Charge Rate
$0.00
Session Cost
Charger Power vs EV Max Accepted Rate
Charge Time at Different Charger Speeds
Charging Notes
Full Breakdown
What Is an EV Charge Time Calculator?
An EV charge time calculator tells you exactly how long it will take to charge your electric vehicle from your current battery level to your target level at a given charger speed. Rather than guessing whether your car will be ready by morning or whether a DC fast charger will add enough range for your next leg of a road trip, you enter your battery size, current charge level and charger output and get an accurate time estimate in seconds.
This calculator accounts for real world factors including the actual charge rate your vehicle accepts which is the lower of the charger output and your car’s maximum onboard acceptance rate, charging efficiency losses, weather effects on battery performance and the energy needed in kilowatt hours to reach your target. It also shows you the cost of the charging session based on your local electricity rate.
Key rule to remember: The actual charge rate is always the lower of two numbers: the charger output and your EV’s maximum accepted rate. A 150 kW DC fast charger plugged into a car that only accepts 50 kW will still only charge at 50 kW. Your car’s onboard charger is the bottleneck, not the charging station.
How to Use This Calculator
1
Select Your EV
Choose from the popular EV presets to auto-fill your battery capacity and max charge rate, or enter your vehicle specifications manually from your owner’s manual.
2
Set Battery Levels
Drag the sliders to set your current battery percentage and your target level. Most manufacturers recommend charging to 80% for daily use to preserve long term battery health.
3
Choose Your Charger
Select a charger type from the presets or enter your charger’s output in kW. Add your electricity rate and start time to get cost and finish time included in your results.
EV Charging Times by Charger Type
The table below shows estimated charge times for a typical 75 kWh EV battery from 20 percent to 80 percent charge at different charger speeds, accounting for standard charging efficiency.
Charger Type
Power Output
75 kWh (20% to 80%)
Best Use Case
Level 1 (120V outlet)
1.4 kW
Around 29 hours
Overnight top up for short commuters
Level 2 (7.4 kW)
7.4 kW
Around 5.5 hours
Home charging overnight
Level 2 (11 kW)
11 kW
Around 3.7 hours
Home or workplace charging
Level 2 (22 kW)
22 kW
Around 1.9 hours
Public fast AC chargers
DC Fast (50 kW)
50 kW
Around 50 minutes
Public DC fast chargers
DC Fast (150 kW)
150 kW
Around 17 minutes
Highway charging stations
Frequently Asked Questions
Electric vehicle batteries use a charging strategy called constant current and constant voltage charging. From empty to around 80 percent the battery accepts charge at or near its maximum rate. Above 80 percent the battery management system deliberately reduces the charge rate to protect the cells from damage caused by overvoltage at high states of charge. This is why the last 20 percent from 80 to 100 percent often takes as long as the first 80 percent. For most daily driving situations stopping at 80 percent is recommended by manufacturers to maximise long term battery health and daily charging speed.
Cold temperatures affect EV charging in two ways. First, lithium ion batteries charge more slowly when cold because the chemical reactions inside the cells are less efficient at low temperatures. Many EVs automatically limit the charge rate in cold weather to protect the battery. Second, the battery may need to warm itself up before accepting a fast charge which takes additional time and energy. In temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit you can typically expect charging to take 15 to 30 percent longer than in mild conditions, with DC fast charging being more significantly affected than AC home charging.
Most EV manufacturers and battery experts recommend charging to 80 percent for everyday use rather than 100 percent. Regularly charging to 100 percent accelerates battery degradation over time because of the stress high charge states place on lithium ion cells. Charging to 80 percent also means the charger operates at full speed for the entire session rather than slowing down in the final 20 percent, making the daily charging routine faster. Charging to 100 percent is fine occasionally, particularly before a long trip, but it is not recommended as a daily habit.
Level 1 charging uses a standard 120 volt household outlet and delivers around 1.4 kW, adding roughly 3 to 5 miles of range per hour. It is the slowest option and typically only practical for plug-in hybrids or EVs with small batteries used for short daily commutes. Level 2 charging uses a 240 volt circuit and delivers between 7 and 22 kW depending on the equipment and vehicle, adding 15 to 60 miles of range per hour. It is the standard for home charging installations and most public chargers. DC fast charging bypasses the onboard AC to DC converter and charges the battery directly at 50 to 350 kW, adding 100 to 300 miles of range in 20 to 45 minutes depending on the vehicle and charger.
The cost to charge an EV at home depends on your battery size and your local electricity rate. A typical full charge for a 75 kWh battery from empty costs around 75 kWh multiplied by your rate. At the US average of around 14 cents per kWh that works out to approximately $10.50 for a full charge. At a more expensive rate of 25 cents per kWh the same charge costs about $18.75. Over a year the typical EV driver spending on electricity is roughly $500 to $1,200 compared to $2,000 to $4,000 for petrol in an equivalent conventional vehicle. This calculator shows the session cost automatically when you enter your electricity rate.
Yes. Almost all EVs come with a Level 1 charging cable that plugs into a standard 120 volt household outlet. This is the slowest charging option at around 1.4 kW or 3 to 5 miles of range added per hour, but it works as a convenient backup or for topping up overnight if your daily commute is short. For most EV owners a Level 2 home charger installed by an electrician is a worthwhile investment as it charges 5 to 10 times faster than a standard outlet and can typically add a full day’s driving range in 2 to 4 hours overnight.
To estimate miles added from a charging session multiply the energy added in kWh by your vehicle’s efficiency rating in miles per kWh. Most EVs achieve between 3 and 4 miles per kWh in normal conditions. For example if this calculator shows you are adding 45 kWh and your vehicle gets 3.5 miles per kWh you will gain approximately 157 miles of range. Your vehicle’s efficiency varies with driving speed, temperature, use of heating or air conditioning and terrain, so actual range may differ from the estimate.
