⚡ How to Charge Your Electric Vehicle Faster: Tips & Tricks

It's true, that electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming more popular, and it seems like people are moving towards a more environmentally friendly way of transportation. It's no secret that we have to work on making transportation more sustainable, and more eco-friendly. One of the most common questions from people who own an EV is how long it takes to charge the car. Of course, it won't be as fast as just going to a petrol pump, but you can still speed up the process. Here are some tips on ways to charge your electric vehicle faster, and make your EV ownership more smooth, without having to wait much.

1. Upgrade to a Higher-level Charger

To charge your EV faster, the easiest option is to increase the capacity of your charging equipment. All EVs are equipped with a Level 1 charger as standard, but installing a Level 2 charger will increase charging speed considerably. Level 2 chargers have a greater output (around 240 volts) and are able to charge an EV battery much quicker than Level 1 chargers – up to six times as fast.

• Installation: Installing one of these chargers varies depending on where you live, but can require an electrician and associated fees, materials, and upgrading your home’s electrical service, all of which are worth it if your trips are frequent.

2. Make Strategic Use of Fast Charging Stations

And for drivers on the go, Level 3 chargers or DC fast chargers are the fastest option for EV drivers and are usually found on highways and at public charging stations, charging your EV battery to 80 per cent in one half-hour to 30 minutes.

• Journey Planner Apps: We have access to apps and GPS systems that make it easier to find a fast charger on the road, particularly for longer trips when you don’t have much time.

3. Charge at Optimal Times

The time of day you charge your EV also impacts how fast it will charge. There are times of day with less congested power grids (off-peak) like night-time or early in the morning, when fewer people are also.

• Power Management: Some sites provide better pricing for electricity for off-site connectors at off-peak times, saving you money on your power bill and speeding up your charging times.

4. Manage Battery Health

Rapid charging requires you to keep your EV’s battery in good condition over its lifetime. Both high temperatures and overcharging decrease the lifespan of lithium-ion batteries, which in turn slows the charge rate and shortens the battery life.

• Temperature: Park in the shade or in a garage if possible so that the battery doesn’t heat up. Also, most EVs come with some type of thermal management system to control the battery temperature when charging.
• Battery Level: Do not let it go too low too often. This will stress the battery. Do not fully charge it every time; set charge limit to, say, 80 per cent.

5. Utilise Preconditioning Features

• Scheduling: Many modern EVs also come with preconditioning systems that bring the battery’s temperature to ambient before charging which, along with the slower charge rate, helps them to charge as quickly as or even quicker than petrol-powered vehicles, especially in extreme temperatures. Many EVs let you schedule charging times from a smartphone or on-board system, and battery preconditioning might be scheduled to start recharging when power is cheapest, at times of minimal grid demand.

6. Keep Firmware Updated

EVs are also improving year on year, and the manufacturer could carry out software updates to the charger that might make the process more efficient, or might enable the car to better manage its overall power use.

• Keep checking: if your car has software, check occasionally that the software has been updated, or if your EV has the capacity, set it to download updates when they are available.

Conclusion

There’s a lot at play here – tools and techniques. The right ones will let you charge your EV at home and on the road faster. Faster charging equipment, battery health management, and smart charging are just a few of the things you can do to get faster charging times. All this will be easier as EV infrastructure scales. These key takeaways are things that every homeowner and road warrior can do daily to make the experience of owning an EV as seamless and productive as possible.