Fastest Charging EVs in New Zealand

How is maximum DC charge power related to charging speed?

Typically, the higher the number (measured in kilowatts - kW), the quicker your car will charge.

However, it's far more nuanced than that, and your charging speed is limited by the following:

• The maximum power of the charging station itself.
• The charging curve of the vehicle.
• The battery temperature.
• If the charging station is shared with another vehicle.

Your EV will generally only reach the peak DC power rating when it is in a low state of charge (like 10%-30%)

What is the Charging Curve?

This is a representation of how an EV charges at different battery levels. Most EVs will charge at maximum speed when the battery is closer to empty.

The charge speed will drop off rapidly when the battery reaches 80%.

Here's what the BYD Atto 3 charging curve looks like:

In the above example, if you'd plugged into a charger that had a maximum power of 50 kW (as is common in some rural settings), then your car would charge slower!

However, most public DC chargers (on major routes) are generally 150 kW and up, with some high performance chargers serving 350 kW.

How does temperature affect charging?

Cold temperatures can significantly reduce charging speeds, as the battery management system may limit power to protect the battery.

Some EVs have battery preconditioning that routes power to warm the battery before charging begins.

In cold places, the best time to DC charge is when the battery is already warm (right after its been driven for a reasonable distance).

AC Charging

Most AC charging occurs at home, and in a single-phase building the maximum achievable is around 7.4 kW.

Some EVs can handle 11 kW (or even 22 kW) - this will require 3-phase power installed at the property.

See the AC charging calculator to estimate how long to charge any EV at home.