Charging Time/100km
E-Mobility: Why Charging Time and Costs are More Important than Range
"Recently, on a trip to Munich, I was asked again about the range of my electric car. But that's not the important issue," - as a long-time EV driver, I reply, "What's more crucial are the charging time and costs per 100 kilometers."
This experience highlights a widespread misunderstanding in the discussion about electric mobility. Two key factors determine the future:
- Charging time/100 km
- Costs/100 km
These parameters make it easier to compare EVs and combustion engine vehicles.
Our old Skoda diesel, for example, had a charging time/100km of 30s, assuming 5 min refueling time and 1000 km range. The costs/100km were 7.50 EUR at 1.50 EUR/l and 5 l/100 km consumption. Back then, the process was still called "refueling".
What Combustion Engine Drivers Often Misunderstand
- Charging characteristics: Batteries don't charge linearly. Up to 50% is quick, beyond 80% becomes significantly slower.
- Charging strategy: Often, it's more efficient to make several short charging stops instead of "filling up" once.
- Home charging: For many users, daily charging at home or work is sufficient and cheaper than public charging.
- Total costs: Besides electricity costs, time expenditure and comfort must be considered.
It's not the battery size that matters, but how quickly the battery can be charged! What good is a 100 kWh battery that can theoretically reach 1000 km at 80km/h after a full charge, if I can only charge it at 22 kW from household power? Then I need about 5 hours for charging, which corresponds to 30 minutes of charging time per 100km.
It's much more sensible to half-fill a 40 kWh battery in 6 minutes at a 400 kW charging station - this results in 3 min/100km as charging performance at 120 km/h and 20 kW required power. Although this is 6 times slower than diesel, it changes the total travel time less than the question of how long a bathroom break or traffic jam delays the journey, even on long-distance trips.
Comparison of Example Trips
The following table shows some vehicles and trips for illustration:
| Route | Vehicle | Battery (kWh) |
Max. Charging Power (kW) |
Avg. Charging Power (kW) |
Consumption (kWh/100km) |
Electricity Costs (€/kWh) |
Charging Time/ 100km (min) |
Costs/ 100km (€) |
Max Speed (km/h) |
Avg. Speed (km/h) |
Σ h | Δ h |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamburg - Munich (780 km) | Luxury EV | 75 | 175 | 100 | 25 | 0.50 | 15 | 12.50 | 200 | 120 | 7.5 | +1.5 |
| Cologne - Frankfurt (190 km) | Mid-range EV | 50 | 100 | 70 | 20 | 0.45 | 17 | 9.00 | 160 | 100 | 2.2 | +0.3 |
| Cologne - Düsseldorf (40 km) | City EV | 22 | 50 | 40 | 16 | 0.30 | 24 | 4.80 | 130 | 80 | 0.5 | 0 |
Explanation of Table Columns
- Battery: Capacity of the battery
- Max./Avg. Charging Power: Maximum and average charging power
- Consumption: Energy consumption per 100 km
- Electricity Costs: Price per kWh (varies by charging location and time)
- Charging Time/100km: Time needed to charge for 100 km of driving
- Costs/100km: Total costs for 100 km of driving
- Max/Avg. Speed: Maximum and average speed
- Σ h: Total travel time including charging times
- Δ h: Time difference compared to a combustion engine vehicle
Analysis of Example Routes
- Hamburg - Munich: Despite higher speed and range, the Luxury EV needs at least one charging stop, resulting in a total travel time of 7.5 hours - 1.5 hours more than a comparable combustion engine vehicle.
- Cologne - Frankfurt: The Mid-range EV can complete the route without an intermediate stop, but needs a charging break for the return trip.
- Cologne - Düsseldorf: Ideal commuter route for the City EV, no charging needed en route.
Economic Efficiency and User-Friendliness
- Commuter routes: Charging at home or work is significantly cheaper and more convenient.
- Long-distance routes: Fast charging stations are more expensive but time-efficient. Optimizing charging stops is crucial.
Necessary Improvements for the Future
Expansion and Improvement of Charging Infrastructure
| Measure | Metrics |
|---|---|
| Expansion of charging network |
|
| Performance of charging stations |
|
| Reliability and availability |
|
| Reservation systems |
|
| Billing processes |
|
| Integration of renewable energies |
|
| Charging comfort |
|
| Standardization |
|
Target Values and Current Status
Necessary Improvements for the Future
| Economic Efficiency | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Metric | Status 2024 | Goal 2026 | Goal 2030 |
| Avg. costs/100km | ? | ? | ? |
| Avg. costs/kWh at fast charging stations | ? | ? | ? |
| Performance | |||
| Metric | Status 2024 | Goal 2026 | Goal 2030 |
| Avg. charging power/100km | ? | ? | ? |
| Fast charging points per 1000 km highway | ? | ? | ? |
| Fast charging points per 1000 EVs | ? | ? | ? |
| Avg. power of fast charging points | ? | ? | ? |
| Reliability | |||
| Metric | Status 2024 | Goal 2026 | Goal 2030 |
| Availability rate | ? | ? | ? |
| Proportion of reservable fast charging stations | ? | ? | ? |
| Proportion of automatic pay-by-plug | ? | ? | ? |
| Comfort | |||
| Metric | Status 2024 | Goal 2026 | Goal 2030 |
| Proportion of covered fast charging stations | ? | ? | ? |
| Proportion of fast charging stations with toilets | ? | ? | ? |
| Proportion of fast charging stations with catering options | ? | ? | ? |
| Sustainability | |||
| Metric | Status 2024 | Goal 2026 | Goal 2030 |
| Proportion of renewable energy in charging electricity | ? | ? | ? |
| CO2 footprint per kWh charged | ? | ? | ? |
Conclusion
Focusing on charging time/100km and costs/100km as main criteria will drive e-mobility forward.
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