Pick a model or enter your own numbers, choose AC or DC charging and a charge range, and get the real time — including the DC power taper most calculators ignore.
AC charging (from a home wallbox or public Type 2 point) is close to linear: the car draws a steady power the whole time, capped by whichever is slower — your onboard charger or the station. Most EVs cap AC charging at 11 kW regardless of what the wallbox can deliver, so upgrading the wallbox alone rarely helps.
DC fast charging is different. Power ramps up fast at low battery levels, holds near its peak in the middle of the range, then tapers off sharply above roughly 70-80% state of charge to protect the battery. That's why the last 20% of a DC top-up can take as long as the first 50% — and why dividing energy by peak power always underestimates the real time.
To protect battery health and longevity, EVs deliberately reduce charging power as the battery fills up — usually starting around 70-80% state of charge. Above that point, cell voltage gets close to its limit, so the car throttles the current sharply. That's why most fast-charging stops are planned for the 10-80% window rather than 0-100%.
Charging speed is set by whichever is slower — the car or the station. Every EV has a maximum onboard AC charger rating and a maximum DC peak power it can accept, both fixed by its hardware. Plugging into a more powerful station than your car can handle changes nothing: the car simply won't draw more than its own limit.
AC charging converts power to DC inside the car using its onboard charger, which caps power at a relatively low level (often 7.4-22 kW) — fine for overnight charging at home. DC fast charging delivers already-converted direct current straight to the battery at much higher power (50-350 kW), enabling a top-up in minutes, but subject to the taper curve described above.