The electric car takes varying time for its charging from a couple of hours when charged through AC at your home to less than an hour when charged through the right kind of DC fast charger. The Indian standards for charging electric vehicles are Type 2 for AC and Combo 2 for high-powered DC chargers.
If you plan to buy an electric car, don't get carried away with the kW charging rate of the car. You have to consider how much energy your car battery needs to be fully charged and how fast the car accepts the charge. Check BudgetEV's EV database to compare charging specifications before choosing your next electric car.
AC and DC Charging: What Is the Difference?
Charging type
Best suited for
Typical use
AC charging
Home, office, overnight charging
Daily driving
DC fast charging
Highways, public stations
Long trips and quick top-ups
AC charging takes longer as the car converts AC electricity into DC via an on-board charger. In DC charging, the charger delivers DC electricity to the car battery, thus charging faster.
According to the Ministry of Heavy Industries, the time required for charging depends on the vehicle's rated battery capacity and charger type.
Determinants of Electric Vehicle Charging Time
There are four major determinants:
- Battery size: The greater the battery size, the longer the time taken to charge it.
- Power of the charger: Higher-powered chargers may charge batteries faster, although within the capabilities of the vehicle.
- Powering capabilities of the vehicle: It is important to understand that if a charger has the capacity to charge up to 100 kW, this will not mean that it can actually charge a vehicle to that power level if it doesn’t support this rate.
- State of the battery: As it nears full charge, charging time may slow down.
The government reference suggests that using a 15 kW DC-001 charger would take 70–80 minutes to fully charge an 18 kWh electric-car battery.
Don't get charging times confused with range
A vehicle that has a bigger battery will take longer to charge but is also capable of providing higher range between charges. In your daily driving experience, there will be no need to always charge from zero to one hundred percent.
Planning to compare EVs? Use BudgetEV's comparison tools to look beyond battery size and check range and charging capability together.
How Long Should an Electric Car Be Charged for?
There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to electric cars.
For instance, a small EV that requires only a small battery may be easier to charge at night, using AC charging, while a large EV that is equipped for DC charging could be more suitable for traveling along highways.
The number of EV charging stations in India has grown; as of December 2025, there were 29,151 EV charging stations in India.
Conclusion
Convenience is what people who purchase an EV want with AC charging at home. Saving time is what they want with DC fast charging for long trips. The best thing to do is choose according to the vehicle's charging capacity.
Before buying an EV, explore BudgetEV to compare electric cars, charging specifications, range and other ownership factors in one place.