How Long Does It Take to Charge an Electric Vehicle?

There are several different options when it comes to charging your new BMW i3 or BMW i8electric vehicle or BMW plug-in hybrid in Los Angeles, each with different plugs and ports, but with available charging adapters, you won’t be tied to one charging method. That said, the answer to the question, “how long does it take to charge an electric car,” varies depending on which of these options you choose. Of course, how long your vehicle will take to charge also depends on what type, make, and model of EV you drive.

Different EVs have different battery packs with varying charging times equipped. In short, there’s too much variability to answer this question definitively with a one-size-fits-all answer. Still, we can help you learn more about the three main types of EV charging — domestic charging, rapid domestic charging, and public charging — and how your choice of each will ultimately determine your electric vehicle charging time. Want to learn more now? Read on or contact us!

What are My Electric Car Charging Options?

1. Domestic Outlet Home Charging (Regular Outlet): A normal grounded (three-prong) 110V/120V charging outlet (Level 1 Charging) doesn’t offer a fast charging speed but it’s a good option for topping off some of the charge you used commuting to work that day. How long does Level 1 charging take? Usually around 24 hours or more for a full charge. In other words, expect it to take days, not hours, to charge with this method.
2. Installed Brand-Approved Domestic Charging: Level 2 Charging is typically professionally installed. Level 2 charging uses rapid (usually 240V+) chargers most often made for your brand of car will have significantly faster-charging rates than using a regular grounded household outlet. Think hours, not days. DC fast chargers (as opposed to AC ones) are also common. It’s not unheard of to obtain an 80% charge in a half an hour or forty minutes with this type of charging method, but that extra 20% will take longer as there’s a diminishing rate of charging speed as well.
3. Public Charging: You can charge on the go in Hollywood at parking garages, malls, hotels, and even apartment buildings. You’ll often find charging stations at big-name national stores like Walgreens and Kohls, and more charging stations are being added every day across the country. These charging stations vary in type and speed, but often provide Level 2 charging speeds for greater convenience. Some public chargers even offer emissions-free renewable energy charging with solar panels or wind turbines!

Typical Domestic Charging Electric Car Charging Time

Domestic car charging times vary based on whether you choose Level 1 or Level 2 charging. Here’s more on that:

• Level 1 EV charging often takes days to fully charge an electric car. 
• Level 2 EV charging often takes several hours to fully charge an electric car. You can often get between 60-200 miles of range in just 20-30 minutes with Level 2 DC charging, though. For this reason, most people intermix daytime “top-off” charging with overnight charging.

Do you drive a BMW plug-in hybrid? Your charging times could be much less. Chances are this type of vehicle will take between 1-4 hours to fully charge. Why? Plug-in hybrid vehicles do not rely solely on electricity as an energy source! Often, they use electric range fully for a small amount of time or under certain speeds, then switch over to gasoline power. Learn more about BMW PHEV’s (plug-in hybrid vehicles) by contacting us at Pacific BMW!

Typical Public Charging Electric Car Charging Time

Most home chargers offer 3.7 kW or 7 kW charging. Public stations, on the other hand, offer 22 kW charging, 43-50 kW rapid charging, and 150 kW rapid charging. As a result, for some applicable vehicles, you could foreseeably get a full charge (0-100%) in an hour or so. In other cases, it could take 4 hours, 6 hours, or 11 hours for a full charge. Learn more about BMW EV and PHEV charging times with Pacific BMW!

Find Your Electric Vehicle Near Burbank

Ready to get matched with the perfect new BMW EV for your unique needs? Browse our BMW i Series inventory online now from the comfort of home, then apply for financing so you can take home the hybrid or electric vehicle of your dreams sometime soon!