EV Charging Speeds in Australia: AC and DC Limits by Model (2023 Onward)

The number that decides how fast you charge at home is not printed on the charger. It is your car’s onboard AC charger limit. A 22kW wall charger cannot push 22kW into a car that only accepts 11kW, and most cars sold in Australia accept 11kW or less.

This page lists the maximum AC and DC charging speeds for the electric cars sold new in Australia from 2023 onward, so you can work out what your car can actually use before you spend money on equipment.

How to read the table

• AC max is the fastest your car can charge from a home wall charger or a public AC station. This is the number that matters at home.
• Needs three-phase tells you whether you need three-phase power at the property to reach that figure. Most Australian homes are single-phase, which caps charging at about 7kW regardless of the car.
• DC peak is the fastest a public fast charger can deliver, briefly, in ideal conditions.
• Figures are for Australian-delivered vehicles. Overseas versions of the same model are often different.

AC and DC charging speeds by model

Common questions

Why is my car charging slower than the maximum shown here?

The figures above are ceilings, not promises. At home your supply sets the limit first: a single-phase house delivers about 7kW no matter what the car accepts. On a public fast charger the speed drops when the battery is cold or very warm, when the battery is already fairly full, and when other cars are sharing the same charging site. A charger rated at 350kW is also only as fast as the car plugged into it.

Why does DC fast charging slow down after 80 percent?

Because the car asks it to. Pushing high power into a nearly full lithium battery generates heat and wears the cells, so the car’s battery management system tapers the current as it fills. That is why manufacturers quote 10 to 80 percent times rather than 0 to 100. On a road trip you are usually better off charging to 80 percent and driving on than waiting out the last 20 percent.

Do I need a 22kW charger?

Only if your car can use it and your property has three-phase power. Most EVs sold in Australia accept 11kW, so a 22kW charger will feed them 11kW. A 22kW unit still makes sense if you expect a future car to use it, or if you want a single charger to serve two cars.

What is the difference between AC and DC charging?

AC charging goes through the charger built into your car, which is why the car sets the limit. That covers home wall chargers, portable chargers and most public destination charging. DC fast charging bypasses that onboard charger and feeds the battery directly, which is why it is far faster and far more expensive to install. Home charging is AC.

Will a thicker or more powerful cable make my car charge faster?

No, as long as the cable is rated for the power you are already drawing. A cable rated to 22kW will not speed up a car that accepts 11kW. What a higher-rated cable does give you is headroom for a future car and for three-phase public chargers.

Does hot or cold weather change charging speed?

Yes, mostly on DC. A cold battery accepts less power until it warms up, which is why a winter morning fast charge can start slowly. Very hot conditions can also make the car limit power to protect the battery. Home AC charging is slow enough that weather rarely matters.

My home is single-phase. What speed can I actually get?

About 7kW, which adds very roughly 35 to 40km of range per hour. For most drivers that is a full battery overnight. Three-phase supply is what unlocks 11kW or 22kW, and adding it to an existing home is an electrician’s job that is worth pricing before you assume it.