RAC ‘sets record straight’ about common myth for EV drivers
The RAC wants to ‘set the record straight’ for motorists who think ‘Electric vehicles (EVs) will take forever to charge’. Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular, with data showing there are more than 1.75 million fully electric cars on UK roads.
RAC points out that EVs generally have higher purchase costs but lower operating costs. Given that no new pure petrol or diesel cars will be sold from 2035, many drivers may be making the switch in the coming years; All new cars and pickup trucks will need to be 100% zero-emission.
While electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular, the RAC says there are myths surrounding their use. For example, drivers may think ‘EVs take a lot of time to charge’, but the car company says otherwise, according to reports Mirror.
The RAC shared a video on Facebook featuring Zapmap Business Director James to ‘debunk this myth and set the record straight’. James told the audience: “Most EVs charge while their owners sleep, which actually takes less time for the owner to plug in and unplug their car than, say, the driver of a petrol engine going to a gas station and waiting until their vehicle fills up.
“If you have to charge your car while on the road with an ultra-fast charger, some of these can take as little as twenty minutes. So by the time you get to the service station, grab a coffee, go to the toilet and go out to send that last WhatsApp message, your car is already charged.”
How long does it take to charge an EV?
according to RAC website: “The time required to charge an electric car depends on the size of the battery and the power delivered by the charger.” The advice shares an example: “Theoretically, this means that a Renault Zoe with a 52 kWh battery would take just over an hour to charge with a 50 kW fast charger.
“Whereas a newer, more expensive electric car like the Kia EV6 will take around half an hour to charge from a 350kW ultra-fast charger. But in practice this is unlikely to happen because there are two key variables here: the average rate of charging over the course of the session and the charging speed the vehicle can actually accept.”
The guidance continues: “Officially, the Renault Zoe will accept a maximum of 46kW, while the Kia EV6 will accept a much higher maximum of 233kW. However, both cars will likely only maintain this rate for 70% of the charging time, reducing as the battery fills up.”
“This is why car manufacturers tend to recommend a 10-80% charging time for their electric cars. Kia achieves a 10-80% charge in just 16 minutes, compared to 56 minutes for Renault.”
The easiest and most cost-effective method is to charge an EV at home, the RAC added. Experts said: “Charge the EV when you get home from work and you’ll wake up with a fully charged car in the morning.”
