How long does level 1 charging take?
Level 1 charging typically takes many hours—roughly 20 to 70+ hours to fully recharge a standard EV battery, depending on battery size and starting charge. It adds about 3–5 miles of range per hour under typical conditions.
What Level 1 charging means
Level 1 charging is the slowest form of electric-vehicle charging. It uses a standard 120-volt household outlet and usually delivers about 1.4 to 1.9 kilowatts (kW) of power, depending on the vehicle's onboard charger and the outlet. Because the power is relatively low, it is best suited for overnight charging at home or in situations where a faster option is not available.
Typical charging times by battery size
To illustrate how battery capacity affects time, here are rough estimates for a full charge from near empty on a typical Level 1 setup (about 1.4–1.9 kW). These are approximate and real-world results can vary with weather, charger condition, and vehicle settings.
- 40 kWh battery: about 21–29 hours
- 60 kWh battery: about 32–43 hours
- 75 kWh battery: about 39–54 hours
- 100 kWh battery: about 53–71 hours
These ranges assume the charger delivers the full Level 1 power continuously and the vehicle accepts it without significant tapering until reaching 100% SOC.
Factors that affect Level 1 charging time
Many variables influence how long Level 1 charging actually takes in practice. The following factors can add hours to or shave hours off your estimated time.
- On-board charger capacity and charging acceptance: some EVs cap Level 1 input at around 1.4–1.9 kW, while others may limit power earlier or taper near high SOC.
- Outlet and circuit capability: a dedicated 120 V outlet on a robust circuit (often 15–20 A) will perform better than a shared or undersized circuit.
- Battery temperature: cold weather reduces charging efficiency and can slow uptake; warm temperatures are generally more favorable.
- State of charge and charging management: many vehicles taper current as SOC rises, which lengthens the final portion of a Level 1 charge.
- Charging efficiency and connection quality: poor connections, adapter quality, or charger faults can reduce effective power.
In real-world driving, these factors mean your actual time can deviate from the simple math above, sometimes by several hours depending on conditions.
Estimating charging time for your vehicle
To estimate your specific charging time, use this approach: Time ≈ (Battery capacity in kWh) × (percentage of charge to add) / (Level 1 power in kW × charging efficiency). Typical efficiency ranges from about 0.85 to 0.95. Example: a 60 kWh battery going from 20% to 100% (60 kWh × 0.80 = 48 kWh needed) on a 1.4 kW Level 1 supply with 90% efficiency yields roughly 48 / (1.4 × 0.9) ≈ 38 hours.
Summary
Level 1 charging is the slowest, but it is convenient for at-home, overnight top-ups when a faster option isn’t available. Expect roughly 3–5 miles of range per hour, and full-charge times that range from about 20 hours for smaller batteries to 70 hours or more for larger packs, depending on starting charge and the factors listed above. For daily commuting patterns, many drivers use Level 1 only to supplement faster charging options like Level 2 when available.
