A top-of-the-range electric car will have a battery capacity of 90kWh. Using an average sized charger (3.5kW) it would take around 19 hours to go from 25% to fully charged.
That's a long time to wait to nip to the shops, but charging time can be cut dramatically by using a larger charger - ideally, you'd plug in something hefty with up to 50kW to reduce the time to about 80 minutes.
However, chargers that big aren't suitable for an average home - a more likely option would be a charger of about 11kW.
A typical home is fitted with a main fuse of 60-80 amps, and the National Grid is pointing out that an 11kW car charger would require 48 amps, meaning that using a kettle, oven or immersion heater during charging would cause the main fuse to trip.
So no cuppa while you wait?
Well, one solution could be to increase the amperage of your main fuse.
Only the distribution network operators can do this - as opposed to an electrician or your supplier - and the cost can vary depending on the age of a property.
With a 100 amp fuse, a 22kW charger could be used which would have a faster charge time of around three hours. This would, however, still require all other electrical appliances in the house to be turned off during charging.
From the BBC website.
Be a new excuse - sorry I was late for work my alarm didnt go off cos I was charging my car, oh and my Iphone is flat too (no in car charging)!
Matt
