Charging speeds explained
How long does it take to charge an electric car?
Anywhere from twenty minutes to the best part of a day, depending on the charger. The good news for Northern Ireland: you rarely watch the clock, because a 7kW home charger fills the car overnight while you sleep. Here is every charging speed compared, with worked examples, so you can see why.
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The short answer
Last reviewed: 11 July 2026
- A 7kW home charger adds roughly 25 to 30 miles of range per hour.
- An overnight charge easily covers a normal week of Northern Ireland driving, whatever the size of your battery.
- Most NI drivers charge overnight, so the car is full by morning from any starting level.
- Because you are asleep while it charges, the exact number of hours rarely matters. Plug in at night, unplug a full battery in the morning.
- A 3-pin plug delivers about 2.3kW, roughly three times slower than a fitted 7kW unit.
- Fine as an occasional backup, but a full charge can take the best part of a day. See our 3-pin (granny charger) guide for why it should not be your main method.
Charge times by battery size
Find the row closest to your car and read across. The 7.4kW column is your driveway, the home wallbox almost every NI house can have. Times are worked from the real battery sizes of the example cars, with the maths shown below the table.
| Battery & example cars | 3-pin 2.3kW, 0 to 100% |
Home charger
Your driveway 7.4kW, 0 to 100% | Three-phase 22kW, 0 to 100% | Public rapid 50kW, 10 to 80% | Ultra-rapid 150kW+, 10 to 80% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ~40 kWh Nissan Leaf | ~19 hrs | ~6 hrs | ~2 hrs | ~35 min | ~15 min |
| ~52 kWh Renault Zoe, Vauxhall Corsa Electric | ~25 hrs | ~7.5 hrs | ~2.5 hrs | ~45 min | ~15 min |
| 58 to 65 kWh VW ID.3, Hyundai Kona Electric | ~29 hrs | ~9 hrs | ~3 hrs | ~50 min | ~20 min |
| 77 to 82 kWh VW ID.4, Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5 | ~37 hrs | ~11.5 hrs | ~4 hrs | ~65 min | ~20 min |
| ~100 kWh Large SUVs (BMW iX, Audi Q8 e-tron) | ~48 hrs | ~15 hrs | ~5 hrs | ~1 hr 25 min | ~30 min |
The maths. AC columns (3-pin, 7.4kW, 22kW) are battery size divided by charger power for a full 0% to 100% charge, plus about 10% for charging losses. Rapid DC columns (50kW, 150kW) cover 10% to 80% only (0.7 times the battery divided by the charger power), because rapid charging slows sharply above 80% to protect the cells, so no one rapid-charges to full.
Two honest caveats. The rapid columns assume the car can accept that power, and many cannot: a 40kWh Nissan Leaf caps at around 50kW, so its 150kW figure is theoretical, while an 800V car like the Ioniq 5 can beat it. And NI homes are single-phase, so the 22kW column is a workplace and public-charger figure, not something you fit on a normal driveway. Battery sizes are the useable packs of the example cars, cross-checked against ev-database.org.
Now you know how long, the next question is how much. See what it costs to charge an electric car in NI and which overnight tariffs make it cheapest.
What each charging speed is, and where you meet it
The table above tells you how long your own car takes. This one explains each charger type: what it is, and where in real life you come across it, from the slowest 3-pin trickle to the fastest public ultra-rapid. The one most NI drivers actually live with is highlighted.
| Charger | Power | 60kWh, 20 to 80% | Where you'll find it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-pin plug (granny charger) | ~2.3kW | ~16 hours | Any domestic socket. Emergency or occasional use only, never as your main method. |
| Home charger (7kW) NI sweet spot | 7kW | ~5 to 6 hours | The standard home wallbox on a normal NI single-phase supply. Full overnight, every night. |
| Three-phase home charger (22kW) | 22kW | ~1.5 to 2 hours | Needs a three-phase supply most NI homes do not have, and many cars cap AC charging at 7kW to 11kW anyway. |
| Public rapid | 50kW+ | ~45 to 60 min | Motorway and forecourt units. Great for a top-up on a long run. Charges 20% to 80%, then slows. |
| Public ultra-rapid | 150kW+ | ~20 to 30 min | The fastest public option, if your car can accept the rate. Best for long trips, not everyday charging. |
Illustrative example times for a 60kWh battery. Rapid and ultra-rapid charging slows notably above 80%, so the quoted times cover the fast 20% to 80% window rather than a full charge.
Why 7kW overnight is the NI sweet spot
Faster is not better once the car is full by morning. Here is why 7kW wins for almost every NI home.
It matches your supply
7kW runs on the standard single-phase supply almost every NI home already has. No expensive three-phase upgrade, no fuss.
It fills the car overnight
A full charge in around 8 hours means you plug in at night and wake to a full battery. Speed beyond that is speed you sleep through.
It pairs with cheap rates
A smart 7kW charger targets your cheap overnight tariff window, so you get both a full car and the lowest cost per charge.
Weighing 7kW against 22kW properly? Read our 7kW vs 22kW guide, see the best home chargers for NI, or check which NI tariffs make overnight charging cheap.
Stop watching the clock at public chargers
A 7kW home charger turns charging into something you never think about: plug in at night, full by morning. We match you with up to three vetted, NICEIC-registered NI installers so you can compare and get fitted sooner.
- Up to 3 vetted, NICEIC-registered NI installers
- NIE Networks notification included as standard
- Your OZEV grant checked before you commit
- Advice on 7kW vs anything faster for your home
Not sure which unit? Start with the charger comparison.
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How long to charge an electric car: common questions
How long does it take to charge an electric car?
It depends entirely on the charger's power and your battery size. As an illustrative example for a 60kWh battery from 20% to 80%: a 3-pin plug takes around 16 hours, a 7kW home charger around 5 to 6 hours, a 50kW public rapid around 45 to 60 minutes, and a 150kW ultra-rapid around 20 to 30 minutes. For most Northern Ireland drivers a 7kW home charger overnight covers everyday driving comfortably.
How long does it take to charge an electric car with a 7kW charger?
It depends on the battery. On a 7kW home charger, from empty to full: a 40kWh Nissan Leaf takes around 6 hours, a 52kWh Renault Zoe around 7.5 hours, a 58 to 65kWh VW ID.3 or Hyundai Kona around 9 hours, and a 77kWh VW ID.4, Tesla Model Y or Hyundai Ioniq 5 around 11.5 hours. Because you plug in overnight, the exact figure rarely matters, any of these is full by morning. A 7kW charger adds roughly 25 to 30 miles of range per hour.
How long does it take to charge a car at home?
At home you are almost always on a 7kW wallbox, because NI houses have a single-phase supply. That fully charges a typical 60kWh EV in around 8 to 9 hours from near-empty, or the everyday 20% to 80% window in around 5 to 6 hours. A 3-pin plug works but is about three times slower, so a full charge can take the best part of a day, which is why it is for occasional use only. Most people charge overnight and wake to a full battery.
Why is a 7kW home charger the right choice for most NI homes?
Because it matches how people actually drive and what NI homes can supply. A 7kW charger fully refills a typical EV overnight while you sleep, on a normal single-phase domestic supply, and pairs with a cheap night tariff. A 22kW charger is faster on paper but needs a three-phase supply most homes do not have, and many cars cannot accept more than 7kW to 11kW on AC anyway, so you pay more for speed you cannot use.
How long does a 7kW charger take to fully charge a car?
For a 60kWh battery, a 7kW charger adds roughly 10kWh an hour, so a full charge is around 8 to 9 hours from near-empty, or about 5 to 6 hours for the everyday 20% to 80% window. That comfortably fits an overnight charge, which is why home charging is measured in nights, not minutes.
Is a 22kW charger worth it at home?
Rarely, in Northern Ireland. Home 22kW charging needs a three-phase supply, which most NI houses do not have and which is expensive to install. Even with it, many EVs limit onboard AC charging to 7kW or 11kW, so the extra capacity sits unused. For nearly all homes a 7kW charger is the sensible, cost-effective choice. Our 7kW vs 22kW guide covers the decision in full.
How much range do I add per hour of charging?
As a rough illustrative guide, a 7kW home charger adds around 25 to 30 miles of range per hour, so an overnight charge easily covers a normal week of NI driving. A 3-pin plug adds under 10 miles an hour, which is why it is only for occasional use. A public rapid can add 100 miles or more in half an hour.
Charge overnight, wake to a full battery
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