# EV Charging Time Calculator

> Estimate how long an electric car takes to charge from its battery size, start and target charge, charger power, the car’s own limit and charging losses.

Category: Energy & environment · Applies to: Worldwide · Last updated: 2026-10-29
Interactive calculator: https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/ev-charging-duration-calculator

Charging time is the energy the battery needs divided by the power actually reaching it: the lower of the charger and car limits, less charging losses.

Also called: EV charge time calculator, Electric car charging time calculator.

## Inputs
- Usable battery capacity (unit kWh; default 60)
- Starting charge (unit %; default 20)
- Target charge (unit %; default 80)
- Charger power (unit kW; default 7.2)
- Car’s maximum charging rate (unit kW; default ; optional)
- Charging efficiency (unit %; default 90)

## Results
- Charging time
- Charging time in hours
- Energy added to the battery
- Energy drawn from the grid
- Power reaching the battery

## Formula

```
Energy = Capacity × (Target% − Start%);  Power = min(Charger kW, Car limit kW) × Efficiency;  Time = Energy ÷ Power
```

Where:
- Capacity: usable battery capacity, kWh
- Efficiency: share of grid energy stored in the battery

## Worked example
1. Energy = 60 × (80% − 20%) = 36 kWh.
2. Power into the battery = 7.2 × 0.90 = 6.48 kW.
3. Time = 36 ÷ 6.48 = 5.56 h ≈ 5 h 33 min; grid energy = 36 ÷ 0.9 = 40 kWh.

**Result:** Charging a 60 kWh battery from 20% to 80% on a 7.2 kW charger takes about 5 hours 33 minutes.

## What the result means

On AC home charging the estimate is usually close, because power stays near constant. At DC rapid chargers, power tapers as the battery fills, so the time above about 80% is longer than this constant-power estimate.

## Assumptions and limits
- Charging power is constant for the whole session.
- The capacity entered is usable, not gross, capacity.
- Does not model DC taper curves, battery temperature or preconditioning.

## Questions

### Why does a 22 kW charger only give my car 11 kW?

On AC, the car’s onboard charger sets the limit. Enter that limit in the car field.

### Why charge to 80% rather than 100%?

Charging slows near full, and many makers recommend a lower everyday limit to reduce battery wear. Check your car’s manual.

## Related calculators
- [EV Charging Cost Calculator](https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/ev-charging-cost-calculator)
- [EV Battery Range Calculator](https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/ev-battery-range-calculator)
- [Battery State of Charge Calculator](https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/battery-state-of-charge-calculator)

Source: GM¹X CalcVerse — https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/ev-charging-duration-calculator