Top speed is no longer the holy grail when it comes to electric cars. It’s the speed at which you can recharge the battery that’s much more important.
Consider this then, the ultimate version of speed dating. How quickly can you plug into one of our High Power chargers and hit the road again with your battery replenished?
To make sense of the rankings we need to first explain some science. I know, worst date ever, right? But bear with us, first impressions aren’t everything…
You’ll see many cars claim 150kW+ charging capability while some of the latest top-end models are now capable of achieving over 300kW. However, this maximum is a peak and not a constant.
You’ll only ever achieve this advertised top rate for a short period, usually at around 50% State of Charge (SoC). Think of it like sprinting, it takes a bit of time to get going out the blocks, then you’re like Usain Bolt, but you can only keep going for a short while before you need to ease off.
This is what’s known as the charging curve.
Each car has a different charging curve, and some models are able to sustain their peaks for longer, which means the average power across a whole charge is higher – and for you, that means a quicker charge.
See, we told you it was good pillow talk. The charging curve is the same reason that once you get above 80% the car will slow the maximum charging power to avoid the cell voltages exceeding their limit.
And that takes us onto our speed dating scoreboard. As we’ve explained above, just quoting the maximum power capability is not enough to really tell which car is fastest at charging. Instead, we’re using figures from ev-database.org, which has calculated a “miles per hour” charging figure. This takes the average power of a car across a 10 to 80% charge and calculates how many miles it would add over the course of an hour
The Porsche Taycan – freshly updated with higher power charging – takes top spot ahead of the Audi e-tron GT, which shared most of its under-the-body engineering with the Taycan.
That’s followed by the Lotus Emeya, with the Eletre also featuring in the top 10. On the more affordable end of the scale, the Kia EV6 and Hyundai IONIQ 5 deserve honourable mentions for delivering incredible charging performance that doesn’t break the bank.
1. Porsche Taycan
- Charging speed: 840mph
- Maximum charging rate: 320kW
- Real-world range: 360 miles
If you look up any ‘best-ofs’ list (whether they’re EV-only or not) then the Porsche Taycan will invariably be there. It takes everything that’s great about Porsche sportscars and makes it even better. Stylish, great to drive and with incredible performance. And with the latest model, charging speeds mean you’ll have even more time out on the open road enjoying the Taycan.
2. Audi e-tron GT
- Charging speed: 780mph
- Maximum charging rate: 320kW
- Real-world range: 335 miles
The Audi e-tron GT has been around for a while but it’s still an amazing EV. Power, precision, performance and the closest you’ll get to matching the Porsche Taycan. Now we know looks aren’t everything and love is blind, but we also can’t ignore that the e-tron GT is also one of the best-looking Audis of recent years.
3. Lotus Emeya
- Charging speed: 750mph
- Maximum charging rate: 350kW
- Real-world range: 325 miles
Ok, so the Lotus Emeya might be slightly outside of budget for most but it’s some electric car. Based on the Lotus Eletre SUV (see below), the Emeya is the modern day hyper GT. Beautiful to look at, nice to drive and luxurious inside. It’s a big swipe right from us.
4. Audi A6 Sportback e-tron
- Charging speed: 740mph
- Maximum charging rate: 270kW
- Real-world range: 370 miles
Recently, Audi’s electric revolution had been focusing mainly on SUVs but with the A5 Sportback it’s gone sleek and stylish once more. And charging speeds from the Audi A6 Sportback e-tron are enough to get you hot under the collar, too. With a long range, Audi reliability and plenty of tech on board, it’s a seriously capable machine.
5. Hyundai IONIQ 6
- Charging speed: 720mph
- Maximum charging rate: 233kW
- Real-world range: 275 miles
The face of the next generation of electric cars is the Hyundai IONIQ 6. A sleek design to optimise aerodynamics for added range combines with a comfortable and practical interior. Add in class-leading charging capability and this is a very impressive EV.
6. Kia EV6
- Charging speed: 700mph
- Maximum charging rate: 263kW
- Real-world range: 285 miles
The Kia EV6 really is love at first headlight for us. It ticks every box and more. Not only is it practical and stylish, but it can also be one of the fastest accelerating or longest range EVs out there, depending on how you spec it. And naturally, charging capability is one of the best on the market.
7. Hyundai IONIQ 5
- Charging speed: 690mph
- Maximum charging rate: 263kW
- Real-world range: 280 miles
Sister car to the Kia EV6, the IONIQ 5 really set the standard for futuristic EVs with its unique design when it launched a few years ago. Now a little older, its charging capability is still some of the best around, proving just how much of a trailblazer it was originally. Maturing like a fine wine.
8. Lotus Eletre
- Charging speed: 670mph
- Maximum charging rate: 367kW
- Real-world range: 305 miles
The Lotus Eletre offers luxury and space like we’ve never seen before from the brand, while delivering performance and driver appeal you wouldn’t expect from a whopping great SUV. What’s more, it’ll charge up almost as quickly as it accelerates.
9. Genesis GV60
- Charging speed: 630mph
- Maximum charging rate: 233kW
- Real-world range: 240 miles
Genesis is the upmarket brand of the Kia and Hyundai stable and it certainly has the technological capability to go with the luxury and incredible charging speeds. Just take the crystal sphere, for example, that’s in the middle of the centre console that rotates to reveal the gear selector.
10. Porsche Macan
- Charging speed: 630mph
- Maximum charging rate: 270kW
- Real-world range: 315 miles
Symmetry is perfection, right? Well, in that case this list fits the bill. We started with a Porsche and we’ll end with one: the Porsche Macan. The name has been around for a while as a popular SUV and has recently been given the EV makeover treatment. Practical, good to drive and great charging capability – everything you expect from Porsche.
