With the influx of new electric vehicles joining this 2022 EV market segment - plus further that are on the horizon - these battery-propelled vehicles continue to be a more available and mainstream option than ever before. With more and more automakers joining the field, the market is expanding, which, on the positive side, improves the car’s features, be it the designs, ergonomics, luxury, and most importantly, their battery capacity and charging capabilities.
Right at the verge of the EV era, it would take ridiculously long hours to charge a car’s battery. Nowadays, not only have EV charging times become much shorter, but some cars have taken it to the next level with exceptionally fast charging rates. These days, however, thanks to emerging technology, charging times have greatly been reduced, with some vehicles offering up to 150 miles of range on a 20-minute charge, if not less.
Charging options currently range from Level 1 to 3 with the former the slowest charging option. Things start getting a little interesting with the Level 2 charging option, which most drivers use to charge their cars overnight or at a workplace during the day. But, when you’re taking a longer trip, the last thing you want to do is spend an awful amount of time tethered to a charging station.
You’re better off with a public fast-charging station. In this scenario, a Level 3, or DC charger, is the best charging option for your EV. Aside from that, it's noteworthy that some EVs accept power faster than others, which makes it vital that you pick an electric vehicle that can recharge quickly.
We’re taking a look at the fastest charging EV on the market right now, and explain a little about how charging speed is actually measured.
How Are Electric Vehicle Charging Speeds Measured
But because of factors such as the lack of standardized EV charging measurements and several variables involved, there are no definite and fair ways of ranking electric vehicles by their charging speed. This makes EV charging speed comparisons difficult.
Despite the lack of standard measurements, there are so many other factors that can alter a car’s charging speed, such as the battery pack's temperature, outside temperature, how close the battery is to a full charge, the vehicle's ability to accept a charge, and, as we mentioned earlier, the speed of the charging station you're using.
In order to find out the battery charging capabilities, it’s important to look at the information provided by the vehicle’s manufacturer, like the battery capacity, the maximum theoretical charging rate, and the time to attain a full charge from zero.
The Fastest-Charging Electric Car Of 2022 Is The Lucid Air
Lucid Motors is a brand famous for manufacturing amazing Formula E race car batteries. Its good reputation has also flowed to its automaking amenities, producing contemporary vehicles that are not only fast, but also strong, luxurious, and reliable. Like the Lucid Air which is not only the brand’s first EV, and among the best electric vehicles you can buy this year.
It has a unique exterior styling that features a smoothly sculpted surface, beautifully-styled headlights, fancy taillights, and a curvy body that leads to a bold and more expressive character. With a driving range of about 520 miles on a single charge, the Lucid Air has the longest range of any electric vehicle in 2022. One strong attribute that stands above the rest is the charging speed.
With only 12 minutes of charging time, the Lucid Air can offer up to 200 miles, and an extra 100 miles if you wait for an extra five minutes at the DC charging station. As you would expect, the Air attains the fastest-charging speeds with the Level 3 or DC charging option, which uses between 400 and 900 volts.
Lucid Air EVs come with a 900V Wunderbox charger, which allows them to charge at 20 miles per minute, exceeding the Kia EV6’s 800-volt architecture, which adds 14.5 miles per minute, or better still, the Tesla Model 3’s charging system, which adds 15 miles per minute.
The Lucid Air Is A Wickedly Fast Foor-Door Sedan
As a new owner, you get 3 years of free, fast charging at Electrify America charging stations. Besides being the fastest charging EV this year, the Lucid Air is also the fastest and most powerful sedan out there! The Lucid Air Dream Performance model, for instance, churns out a staggering 1,111 horsepower and can achieve a 60-mph sprint in just 2.5 seconds.
It has a top speed of 169 mph, making it faster than the Tesla Model X Plaid, the Porsche Taycan Turbo S, and the Audi RS e-Tron GT. With a starting MSRP of $77,400, the 2022 Lucid Air is worth every penny for a vehicle that can out-Tesla a Tesla.
Sources: Lucid Motors, Tesla, Porsche