Guides
How long does charging take?
Honest answer: it depends — but in a predictable way. Understand the charging curve and you'll charge smarter than most EV owners.
Charging isn’t a straight line — it’s a curve
A battery doesn’t accept power at one constant rate. Speed ramps up from a low , peaks somewhere in the 20–60% window, then tapers — the last 20% of a charge can take as long as the first 60–70%. That’s your car’s battery management system protecting the cells, and it’s the same on every fast-charging network.
- At 20%
- 180 kW
- 10–80%
- 26 min
Estimates model your car's published charging curve against our charger's output, assuming a preconditioned battery and a stall you're not sharing. Real results vary with temperature, starting charge, battery age and driving conditions.
Which is why the quick top-up wins
Because the curve is fastest in the middle, the smartest use of a is usually a short session in that sweet spot — grab the miles you need and go. That’s exactly how HubCharge is designed: a ~10-minute top-up that adds roughly 30–135 miles for most popular EVs, with quick extensions if you want more. Charging to 100% at a fast charger is almost never worth the time.
What actually determines your speed
- Your car’s maximum charging rate — every model has its own ceiling; a charger can never exceed it.
- Battery state of charge — lower is faster (the curve again).
- Battery temperature — a cold pack can charge at roughly half its normal rate.
- Vehicle size and efficiency — a big electric truck adds miles more slowly than an efficient sedan, even at the same .
The one trick worth knowing:
Most EVs warm their battery automatically when you navigate to a fast charger in the car’s own navigation. Do that on your way to HubCharge and you’ll often charge meaningfully faster — it’s the single biggest thing you control.
Beware the headline numbers
You’ll see claims like “200 miles in 10 minutes” in car ads. Those usually assume 350kW+ chargers and perfect conditions. We’d rather set honest expectations: at our up-to-180kW chargers, many popular EVs add roughly 30–135 miles in about 10 minutes, and some vehicles charge more slowly. Check your make’s approximate figures.
Approximate figures at our up-to-180kW chargers, modelled from each car's published charging curve. Actual charging speed and added range vary by vehicle, battery state of charge, temperature and battery age. Larger trucks and older EVs charge more slowly.
Ten good minutes beats an hour of waiting.
Pull up, stay in your car, and let our team handle the rest — no app needed.