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Vehicle characteristics and impact on charging

SUMMARY

Several factors influence the charging of your vehicle such as the outside temperature, your battery management system and the type of terminal used.

With our cold winter temperatures and the installation of faster charging stations, many questions are being asked about electric vehicle charging times with fast chargers:

  • What are the charging times for different vehicle models using various types of fast chargers?
  • At what battery charge level does charging slow down to the point where it’s best to stop charging?
  • Do low temperatures affect charging speeds?
  • Does a 100-kW charging station charge significantly faster than a 50-kW station?
  • What station should I choose for my vehicle?

Main factors affecting charging time

The charging power of an electric vehicle (EV) plugged into a DC fast-charge station is measured in kilowatts (kW). For instance, an EV that charges at 40 kW at a 100-kW charging station will accumulate 20 kWh in half an hour, which provides around 100 km of range. For an EV that charges at just 20 kW at that same 100-kW charging station, it would take a full hour to accumulate the same 20 kWh of energy. The second car charges half as fast because it has half the charging capacity of the first car.

The charging speed depends mainly on three factors: the type of charging station, the vehicle characteristics and the battery temperature.

Charging characteristics of various vehicles

Since November 2020, the Electric Circuit has been recording EV charging curves at a range of outdoor temperatures. These curves show the charging capacity of the vehicle according to the following parameters:

  • Battery state of charge (0% to 100%)
  • Outdoor temperature

General observations

A study of these curves led to the following observations, which apply to all EVs:

  • Once the battery state of charge has risen to 80%, the charging power requested by the vehicle begins to drop rapidly.
  • The ideal battery temperature is between 20°C and 25°C. This is why the charging power is lower when the weather is very hot or very cold. 
  • Some vehicles are far more sensitive to cold temperatures, as shown by their charging performance.

Vehicle-specific observations

Select a vehicle



For every vehicle or family of vehicles, the following page provides:

  • Graphs of charging curves at −20°C, 0°C and 20°C for different charging stations
  • The connector release system, if applicable

NB : Your vehicle’s charging curve will probably differ from the curves shown because of the effect of the factors described above. There is not enough data on 180 kW charging stations at the present time. 180 kW. More information will be added as it becomes available. 

Please select a vehicle.

Power profile based on state of charge

External weather:

-20 °C

0 °C

20 °C

Data below 15% and above 90% of battery level is not available.

Recommendations

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Troubleshooting

Continuous improvement process for data

These curves are based on data collected from thousands of charging sessions since November 2020. Certain specific cases may not have been encountered. If the charging curves you observe at Electric Circuit stations are substantially different, please email us at support@lecircuitelectrique.com and provide the following:

  • Charging station number
  • Exact date of your charging session
  • Vehicle make and model

Your cooperation will help us keep this information up to date. Thank you!