Charging speed can vary with things like weather and input, so Emunds set out to provide one of the first true head-to-head studies on charging speed yet. Getty Images
When it comes to charging, electric vehicles can vary widely in speed.
To make things worse, it's not always clear what models might juice up faster than others, thanks to vague claims from automakers about battery capabilities.
Charging speeds can be affected by factors like the outside temperature, battery temperature, how many people are at a charging station, and any software settings meant to protect the battery's long-term health.
Still, chemical and engineering differences from car to car and battery to battery can affect charging speed and are worth considering when deciding on a new set of wheels.
To account for these variables and give us a true head-to-head measure of charging speed, the experts at Edmunds used data from the firm P3 that monitored electricity use while an EV was connected to a level-3 fast charger. The dataset also included power-request communications between the vehicle and the charging station to track each battery's capacity.
A few Ford F-150 Lightning models landed on the slowest-charging list. With a range of about 320 miles, it could take less than an hour to get back to 100%.
The second F-150 Lightning to make the list charges about 13 miles of range per hour slower than the RWD Lariat on the list.
The ultra-fancy Platinum trim gets some added bells and whistles the Lariat lacks, like a moonroof, more speakers, and bigger wheels (which help with efficiency and range).
Business Insider was a fan of the Bolt when we reviewed the 2022 model, especially for the value it provides on a range-per-dollar basis. But slow charging might be a dealbreaker if road trips are in your future.
