Charging
Types of charging
AC Fast
- 7 to 11kW, 22kW with 3-phase charging.
- Commonly found at workplaces and homes.
- Every car can reach single-phase charging, fewer can use 3-phase.
DC Rapid
- 50 to 100kW.
- These are the a lot faster, perfect for lunch stops and shopping trips.
- Most cars can reach this speed.
DC Ultra-rapid
- 100 to 400 kW.
- These chargers are the fastest. Using these chargers may result in quicker battery degrade over time due to the heat that it produces.
- Only a few cars can reach this speed.
Why isn't my car charging at these speeds?
Temperature
- If the weather is cold, the charger won't output as much energy.
- If the weather is hot, the charger also won't output the suggested speed to avoid overheating.
Car limitations
- If your car isn't designed to handle 300kW speeds, then it won't charge at those speeds.
- For example, the Hyundai KONA Electric can charge at 102kW. It will never charge quicker than that.
- This is to improve battery health and prevent overheating.
Sharing the energy
- Some chargers share the energy between two or even three units.
- If someone else is charging at a shared unit, the power will be split equally between them.