The RAC has said it will 'set the record straight' for drivers who believe 'Electric vehicles (EVs) take forever to charge.' EVs are becoming increasingly popular, with data showing there are over 1.75 million fully electric cars on UK roads.
According to motoring experts, EVs typically have higher purchase costs but lower running costs. Many drivers may consider switching in the next few years, as no new pure petrol or diesel cars will be sold from 2035 - all new cars and vans will need to be 100% zero emission.
Despite the growing popularity of EVs, the RAC says there are myths surrounding their usage. For instance, some drivers may believe 'EVs take forever to charge', but the motoring company has shared advice for motorists.
In a Facebook post shared on the RAC's page, the company invited James, Business Director at Zapmap, to 'bust this myth and set the record straight.' In the video, James said: "Most EVs charge whilst their owners are sleeping, meaning it actually takes less time for the owner to plug and unplug their car than it does for say a petrol engine driver to go to a petrol station and wait whilst their vehicle fills up.
"If you have to charge your car whilst out on the road with an ultra-rapid charger, some of those can fill in as little as twenty minutes. So by the time you've gone into the service station, grabbed a coffee, gone to the loo, and come back outside to send that final WhatsApp message, your car is already charged."
How long does it take to charge an EV?
The RAC website says: "The time it takes to charge an electric car depends on the size of the battery and the power the charger is putting out." Sharing an example, the advice explains: "In theory, that means a Renault Zoe with a 52kWh battery will take just over an hour to charge using a 50kW rapid charger.
"Whereas a newer, more expensive electric car like a Kia EV6 will take around half an hour to charge using a 350kW ultra-rapid charger. However, that's unlikely to happen in practice because there are two key variables here: the average speed of the charge throughout the session, and the charging speed the car can actually accept."
The guidance continues: "Officially, the Renault Zoe will accept a maximum of 46kW, while a Kia EV6 will accept a much higher maximum of 233kW. But both cars will likely only sustain that speed for 70% of the charge time, tailing off as the battery fills up.
"This is why car manufacturers tend to quote a 10-80% charge time for their electric cars. In the Renault, that figure is 56 minutes, while the Kia manages a 10-80% charge in just 16 minutes."
