When it comes to charging your EV, the three main types of charging solution are: rapid, fast and slow. Each type of charging is either designed for AC or DC charging and low or high power use.

When charging any electrical device, the power always needs to be converted, so is either done using an AC (alternating current) or DC (direct current). The difference between AC and DC is if the power is converted before entering the vehicle or when going through the vehicle. DC is when the power is already converted so is able to charge the vehicle quicker but comes with a higher price, whereas AC gets converted inside the vehicle taking slightly longer but more cost-effective. 

Most major service stations and roadside charging points are rapid chargers and are the fastest way to charge your EV. 

These can charge most popular EV models to 80% in under an hour and supply both DC & AC. 

The majority of fast chargers provide AC charging and are commonly found in car parks, supermarkets and other places where you are likely to be parked for more than an hour at a time. 

The charging time varies depending on the vehicle, however a 22kW charger takes between 1–2 hours and a 7kW charger will take between 4–6 hours. 

These mainly are used at home and use a 3kW — 6kW output which takes around 6–12 hours to get a full charge. 

This is the most common way to charge EVs, as it can be done at home overnight using a standard 3-pin socket.