EV charging time calculator

Pick your battery, the charge you start and stop at, and the power you get. See how long the charge takes, and how much of that is the slow part at the top.

Charging time is the energy you add in kWh divided by the power in kW, but the last part of the battery charges slower than the rest, so the real time is longer. Adding 42 kWh at 100 kW is 25 minutes by the simple formula.

Usable battery

Usable capacity, from your car's manual.

Charge from

Charge to

Average charging power

What your car receives, not the charger's label.

Approximate charging time

27 minapprox.

Above 80% the power drops (here to 50% of 150 kW), so this is longer than the simple 24 min. Your car will differ.

Energy added: 60 kWh
Simple formula (energy ÷ power, no slowdown): 24 min
With the slowdown (approximate): 27 min

Time is approximate: charging slows above 80%. Change the assumption

rule of thumbReal cars slow down as the battery fills, but the curve is different for every car, charger, temperature and starting charge. No open source we found gives the numbers, so this uses two simple settings: full power up to a level, then a fraction of it. Change them to match your car. The DOE page says only: "Charging power varies by vehicle and battery state of charge." (DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center).

Full power up to

Average power above that

See the math, step by step

Below 80%: 52.5 kWh ÷ 150 kW = 21 min.
Above 80%: 7.5 kWh ÷ (150 kW × 50%) = 6 min.
Total 27 min, shown as about 27 min.

This is arithmetic on the numbers you type, not a route planner or a promise: real trips change with speed, weather, hills and the charger you find. Nothing you type leaves this device.

How long does it take to charge an EV?

Energy divided by power, then the slowdown.

The basic formula is time = energy ÷ power. To add 42 kWh with a charger that really delivers 100 kW, divide 42 by 100: 0.42 hours, which is 25.2 minutes. That is the best case, with the car accepting full power the whole time. It is also the number most charging apps quote.

In practice cars slow the charge as the battery fills. The U.S. Department of Energy says only that charging power varies by vehicle and battery state of charge; we found no open source that gives the curve. So the calculator uses a rule of thumb that is declared and editable: full power up to a level (80% to start) and a fraction of it above (50% to start). Charging 10% to 90% of a 60 kWh battery at 100 kW is then 25.2 minutes for the first 70% plus 7.2 minutes for the last 10% (6 kWh at 50 kW), 32.4 minutes in all. Change either setting to match what your car did on a real session and the estimate follows.

Time also depends on the charger: you get the lower of what it offers and what your car accepts. Enter the average power your car received, not the number on the charger.

Worked example: 60 kWh battery, 10% to 90%, 100 kW

Energy added: 60 × 80% = 48 kWh. Simple formula: 48 ÷ 100 = 0.48 h = 28.8 min.
Up to 80%: 60 × 70% = 42 kWh ÷ 100 kW = 25.2 min.
Above 80%: 60 × 10% = 6 kWh ÷ (100 kW × 50%) = 7.2 min.
Total with the slowdown: 32.4 min, shown as about 32 minutes. Stopping at 80% instead saves about 7 minutes.

Charging levels and the power the Department of Energy lists

From the DOE page; the times use your battery and your charge range.

Time for your charge at several power levels
Charging type	Power	Time for your charge	Source
AC Level 1 (120 V)	1.9 kW	35 h 30 min	DOE, "assumes 1.9 kW charging power"
AC Level 2, typical home	7.2 kW	9 h 25 min	DOE, "up to 30 Amps, delivering 7.2 kW"
AC Level 2, top of the range	19.2 kW	3 h 30 min	DOE, "2.9 to 19.2 kW power output"
DC fast, example	50 kW	1 h 20 min	example power
DC fast, example	150 kW	27 min	example power
DC fast, example	250 kW	16 min	example power
DC fast, example	350 kW	12 min	example power

The Department of Energy says DC fast charging provides power outputs up to 500 kW and that many EVs on the road today are not capable of charging at rates higher than 200 kW. The example powers above are just inputs to the arithmetic, not a list of chargers.

Sources: DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center, EV charging stations (page shows no date) · opened October 11, 2026

From one charge to a whole trip

One charge is rarely the question on a long drive. The EV road trip charging calculator repeats this calculation for every stop and adds them up, and the charging cost calculator prices the energy you add.

Plan the whole trip

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to charge an EV?

Time in hours is the energy to add in kWh divided by the power in kW. Adding 42 kWh at 100 kW takes 0.42 hours, about 25 minutes. The catch is that the battery cannot take full power all the way: it slows as it fills, so the last part takes longer than the arithmetic says. This calculator shows both the simple number and the slower estimate.

Why does charging slow down above 80%?

Cars reduce the power they accept as the battery fills to protect it. The point and the shape of the slowdown differ by car, battery temperature and charger, and we found no open source with numbers. The Department of Energy only says charging power varies by vehicle and battery state of charge. So the tool uses a rule of thumb you can edit: full power to 80%, half above.

How fast are Level 1, Level 2 and DC fast chargers?

The U.S. Department of Energy lists AC Level 1 at 120 V (about 5 miles of range per hour of charging, assuming 1.9 kW), AC Level 2 at 240 V or 208 V (about 25 miles per hour; a unit can range from 2.9 to 19.2 kW, and most residential units deliver up to 7.2 kW) and DC fast charging at up to 500 kW (about 100 to 200+ miles per 30 minutes).

Is 150 kW or 350 kW always faster?

No. You get the lower of what the charger offers and what your car accepts. The Department of Energy notes that many EVs on the road today are not capable of charging above 200 kW. Enter the power your car actually reaches, from its manual or from a past session.

What should I enter as charger power?

The average power your car receives during the charge, not the label on the charger. If you do not know it, use the lower of the charger power and your car's maximum, then check the time against a real session and adjust.

More EV charging tools

Each page answers one question about a charging trip.