World EV Day 2022: EVs that Charge up Super Fast in India

At World EV Day, we look at all the EVs that have the fastest charging times on sale in Indian markets.

Electric vehicles are slowly gaining traction in the electric four-wheeler market. Multiple brands have released EVs in recent years, ranging from mass-market products from Tata Motors, Hyundai, and MG to premium and luxury models from European brands such as Mercedes, BMW, and Audi.

We look at how quickly EVs can be charged in India right now. The list is based on the manufacturers' fast-charging times. Please keep in mind that the times vary depending on the charger type, rating, and battery size.

Audi e-tron GT, Porsche Taycan

Battery: 93.4 kWh (Gross)Charge Time: 22.5 mins (5-80%, 270kW DC)

The underpinnings and technologies of Audi's all-electric four-door coupe and Porsche's first EV are the same. Both models include an underfloor 93.4 kWh battery pack, with electric motor power outputs varying depending on the model and variant chosen. The Audi comes in standard and hot RS spec, whereas the Taycan has two body styles and a number of variants within each. Both EVs support up to 270kW DC fast charging, which takes approximately 22.5 minutes to charge the battery to 80% capacity. When combined with a 50kW DC fast charger, this time is reduced to 93 minutes.

Volvo XC40 Recharge

Battery: 79 kWhCharge Time: 28 mins (10-80%, 150kW DC)

Volvo delayed the launch of its premium compact SUV to 2022 after initially announcing plans to bring the XC40 EV to India in 2021. The SUV that arrived in India was a facelifted model with updated styling. The XC40 Recharge comes in a single fully loaded model with a 79 kWh battery pack and a 402 bhp electric motor. Volvo claims that a 150kW DC fast charger can charge the battery from 10% to 80% in just 28 minutes. A 50kW unit can fully charge a battery in about 2.5 hours.

Kia EV6

Battery: 77.4kWhCharge time: 16 mins (10-80%, 350kW DC)

Kia's EV6 is currently the fastest charging EV available in India, and the only one that supports 350kW fast charging. While there are no 350kW fast chargers in India, the unit can charge the EV's 77.4kWh battery pack from 10% to 80% in just 16 minutes. A 50 kW DC fast charger, on the other hand, can complete the task in 73 minutes.

Audi e-tron

Battery: 96 kWh (Gross)Charge Time: 30 mins (0-80%, 150 kW DC)

Audi's all-electric SUV comes in two body styles and two powertrain configurations. Both the Standard SUV and the Sportback are available in e-tron 55 trim, which includes a larger 96 kWh battery and more powerful electric motors. This model supports DC fast charging up to 150 kW, which can charge the battery to 80% in 30 minutes. Meanwhile, the smaller battery-equipped e-tron 50 only supports up to 100kW fast charging.

BMW iX, BMW i4

Battery: 76.6 kWh, 80.7kWhCharge Time: 31 mins (10-80%, 150kW DC), 31 mins (10-80%, 205kW DC)

BMW's EVs have comparable peak fast charging times despite using two completely different formulas. The iX SUV is an EV designed from the ground up, with little in common with any other model in BMW's lineup. The i4 is based on the 4 Series Gran Coupe sold in international markets, but the platform has been redesigned to accommodate the battery pack and electric motors.

The i4 has the longer range of the two - 590 km versus 425 km - thanks in part to the larger 80.7 kWh battery. The i4 also supports higher DC fast charging ratings of up to 205kW. Meanwhile, the iX has a 76.6 kWh battery pack that can be fast charged at up to 150kW. Both have identical peak fast charging times of 31 minutes, with the iX charging faster with a 50kW DC charger - 73 minutes vs. 83 minutes for the i4.

Mini Cooper SE

Battery: 32.6 kWhCharge Time: 36 minutes (0-80%, 50 kW DC)

Mini introduced the SE, an all-electric variant of the Cooper 3 Door, in India earlier this year. Following the BMW iX, the hatchback was the BMW Group's second all-electric model to go on sale in India. The EV has a 0-100kph sprint time of 7.3 seconds and is powered by an 181 bhp electric motor. The Mini has a range of 270 km when equipped with a 32.6 kWh battery pack that can be charged at up to 50kW DC. According to Mini, the 50kW charger can charge the battery to 80% in about 36 minutes.