How Long Does It Take to Charge an EV at Home? UK Charging Speeds Explained

How Fast Is Home EV Charging?

Home charging speed depends on the charger you use and your home’s electricity supply. Here’s a quick overview of the four main power levels:

The key point: 95% of UK homes have a single-phase electricity supply, which maxes out at 7.4 kW. This is the most common home charging speed and is more than enough for overnight charging.

How Charging Speed Is Calculated

The formula is simple:

Battery size (kWh) ÷ Charger power (kW) = Hours to charge

For example, a 77 kWh battery on a 7 kW charger: 77 ÷ 7 = 11 hours from empty to full. In practice, you’ll rarely charge from 0–100% — most people charge from 20–80% (60% of the battery), which takes roughly 6.5 hours at 7 kW.

Charging Times for 10 Popular UK EVs

Here’s how long each car takes to charge at home at different power levels. Times shown are for a 20% to 80% charge (the daily driving sweet spot):

*Times are approximate and assume a consistent charge rate. In practice, charging slows above ~80% as the battery management system protects the cells.*

The takeaway: On a standard 7 kW home charger, every car on this list charges from 20–80% in 5–7 hours — easily done overnight. Even a modest overnight window of 6 hours gets you 150+ miles of range.

For model-specific guides with full cost breakdowns, see our Tesla Model 3 guide, Tesla Model Y guide, Hyundai Ioniq 5 guide, VW ID.4 guide, MG4 guide, or Kia EV6 guide.

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7kW vs 22kW: Is Three-Phase Worth It?

This is one of the most common questions we get. Here’s the honest answer for most UK drivers:

For 95% of UK drivers, 7 kW is more than enough. The average UK daily drive is 20–30 miles, which takes about 1 hour to replenish at 7 kW. Even a completely flat battery charges to 80% overnight.

Three-phase only makes sense if you already have a three-phase supply AND you drive high mileage AND you need rapid turnaround. For a deeper analysis, see our single-phase vs three-phase guide.

Which Chargers Support 22 kW Three-Phase?

If you do have three-phase power, these chargers can take advantage of it:

Real-World Factors That Affect Charging Speed

The times in the table above are theoretical maximums. In practice, several factors can slow things down:

1. Cold Weather

Lithium-ion batteries charge slower when cold. In a UK winter, you might see 10–20% slower charging compared to summer. Most EVs precondition the battery automatically when you schedule charging, which helps significantly.

2. State of Charge (SoC) Curve

Charging from 0–80% is much faster than 80–100%. Above 80%, the battery management system deliberately slows the charge rate to protect cell longevity. This is why most EV manufacturers recommend charging to 80% for daily use.

3. Onboard Charger Limit

Your car has an onboard AC charger that converts AC from the wall into DC for the battery. This has a maximum power rating — for example, a Tesla Model 3 Standard Range maxes out at 7.4 kW AC regardless of what charger you plug into. If the onboard charger is rated at 7 kW, a 22 kW charger won’t help.

4. Home Electrical Supply

Your home’s main fuse and supply cable have a maximum capacity. If you’re using other high-draw appliances (oven, shower, tumble dryer) while charging, the charger may reduce its power to avoid overloading your supply. Many smart chargers have dynamic load balancing to manage this automatically.

5. Cable Length and Quality

On a 3-pin plug, long extension leads can reduce the voltage and therefore the charge rate. This is one reason why extension leads shouldn’t be used for EV charging. Dedicated charger cables are designed for sustained high loads.

How Much Range Do You Actually Need Overnight?

Here’s the stat that puts everything in perspective: the average UK daily drive is 20–30 miles. At 7 kW, that’s roughly 1–1.5 hours of charging.

Even a 50-mile daily commute only uses 1.5 hours of a 7 kW charger’s capacity overnight. You have hours of headroom every night for unexpected trips, weekend drives, or days when you forget to plug in.

The bottom line: don’t stress about charging speed. A standard 7 kW charger handles every realistic daily driving scenario with ease.

Getting Started

1. Choose a charger — compare all 21 options or take our 30-second quiz
2. Switch to an off-peak tariff — charge at 7p/kWh instead of 24.5p (compare tariffs →)
3. Get installation quotes — we’ll match you with certified installers

For more on installation, see our complete installation guide. And if you’re comparing specific chargers, check our head-to-head comparisons.

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