2.3 kW
ACTrickle (3-pin domestic socket)Adds ~10 km per hour. Useful for plug-in hybrids overnight; not practical for full BEVs.
Where
Standard UK/EU/AU wall socket. Emergency only.
Time to add 100 km
≈ 10 hours
Charging speed explained
EV charging speed guide
AC vs DC, 7.4 kW vs 350 kW — what the numbers really mean, what your car can actually accept, and how long it takes to add 100 km of range at each tier.
AC vs DC — the 30-second version
AC charging (slow, cheap)
The wall socket gives you AC. Your car's onboard charger converts it to DC for the battery — that conversion is what limits AC speed to 7–22 kW. Perfect for overnight at home or all-day at work.
DC charging (fast, public)
The charger itself converts AC to DC and bypasses your car's onboard charger. That's why DC stations can push 50–350 kW. Use them for road trips, not daily charging.
Every charging tier, explained
7.4 kW
ACHome wallbox (single phase)The bread and butter of EV ownership. Plug in when you get home, wake up full. Adds ~40 km per hour.
Where
UK & most AU homes. Type 2 connector.
Time to add 100 km
≈ 2.5 hours
11–22 kW
ACThree-phase AC (destination charger)Limited by your car's onboard AC charger, not the post. Most EVs cap at 11 kW AC; Tesla, Renault Zoe and a few others accept 22 kW.
Where
European/AU homes with 3-phase, hotels, workplaces, on-street posts.
Time to add 100 km
≈ 45–90 min
50 kW
DCRapid DC (legacy)Adds ~150 km in 30 minutes for a typical EV. Adequate for occasional long trips, slow for a busy road trip.
Where
Older motorway service stations, supermarket car parks. The original 'rapid' tier.
Time to add 100 km
≈ 20 min
150 kW
DCUltra-rapid DCAdds ~250 km in 20 minutes for a 400V EV that accepts 150 kW. The current sweet spot for road trips.
Where
Most new motorway sites: Ionity, GRIDSERVE, InstaVolt, Evie, Chargefox, Tesla V3.
Time to add 100 km
≈ 7 min
250–350 kW
DCHyper-fast DCOnly 800V cars (Porsche Taycan, Hyundai Ioniq 5/6, Kia EV6, Audi e-tron GT) actually pull the full rate. Adds ~300 km in ~15 minutes.
Where
800V-capable hubs: Ionity, Tesla V4, Fastned, some BP Pulse sites.
Time to add 100 km
≈ 4 min (for compatible cars)
The honest rule of thumb
For 90% of your charging, slow at home is best — cheapest per kWh, no wear on the battery, ready when you wake up. Use 150 kW+ DC only when you actually need to be back on the road in 20 minutes. Paying for 350 kW only makes sense if your car can pull it (most can't).
Keep exploring
Related tools
Frequently asked
What's the difference between AC and DC charging?
AC (alternating current) is what comes out of the wall. Your car's onboard charger converts it to DC to store in the battery, which is slow but cheap. DC charging skips the conversion and pumps DC straight into the battery — much faster but needs heavy equipment, hence only at public fast chargers.
Why is my car charging slower than the station's rated kW?
Three reasons: your car's max accepted rate, the battery's current state of charge (faster below 60%, much slower above 80%), and battery temperature. Cold batteries also charge slower.
Is 22 kW worth it at home?
Only if you have a 3-phase supply AND your car accepts 22 kW AC. Most EVs cap at 11 kW. A 7.4 kW single-phase wallbox is fine for 95% of drivers — overnight is more than enough.
What does 'ultra-rapid' or 'HPC' mean?
Marketing terms for DC chargers above 100 kW. 'High-power charger' (HPC) and 'ultra-rapid' generally mean 150 kW+; some networks reserve 'hyper-rapid' for 250 kW+.