A fast charger is a powerful DC charger that delivers a lot of energy in a short time. Where a home charging point provides a few kW, a fast charger typically gives 150 kW or more. The difference is not just a bigger number: it is the difference between a stop that fits around a cup of coffee and one that takes all afternoon.
Why a fast charger is so much quicker
A normal charging point delivers alternating current (AC), which your car’s onboard charger has to convert to direct current (DC) before it reaches the battery. That onboard charger is small, usually 11 or 22 kW, and it caps how fast you can charge on AC no matter how powerful the charger is.
A fast charger skips that step. It sends direct current straight to the battery and can therefore push far more power through, 150, 300 or even up to 400 kW. That is why a fast-charging stop is counted in minutes while AC is counted in hours.
How quick it is in practice
On a fast charger most newer EVs charge from about 10 to 80 percent in 20 to 30 minutes. Exactly how quick depends on two things: the charger’s power and the car’s own maximum charging rate. A car that accepts at most 150 kW will not go faster on a 350 kW charger.
Charging also follows a curve. From a low state of charge the battery takes full power, but the fuller it gets, the more the speed tapers off to protect the cells. The last 20 percent can take as long as the first 60. That is why the best stop is a short one: charge to 80 and drive on.
Fast, rapid or normal
- Fast charger (DC): 150 kW and up, for short breaks on the go
- Rapid charger (DC): roughly 50 to 149 kW, fine for a lunch stop
- Normal AC: up to 22 kW, for home, work and longer stays
What can slow charging down
Even on a powerful fast charger the speed can drop. The usual causes are a cold battery in winter (the car pre-heats it if you set the charger as your navigation destination), a battery that is already fairly full, or the charger sharing its power with a neighbouring stall when it is busy.
On FindCharger you can filter the map to show only fast chargers, and see the power of each station before you drive there. That way you quickly find one that suits how much of a hurry you are in.