DC fast charging
High-power EV charging in which an off-board charger delivers direct current straight to the battery, typically 50–400 kW and above.
DC fast charging bypasses the vehicle's on-board charger: the station rectifies grid AC and supplies DC directly to the battery under control of the vehicle's battery management system. Station power ranges from 50 kW (early CHAdeMO and CCS units) to 150–400 kW for highway hubs, with megawatt charging (MCS, above 1 MW) for heavy trucks and some Chinese passenger platforms advertising 1 MW peaks.
400 V architecture: 400 V x 500 A ≈ 200 kW
800 V architecture: 800 V x 400 A ≈ 320 kW
Average power 10–80% ≈ 0.7 x usable kWh / time (h)
Actual power follows a charging curve set by the battery: high from low state of charge, then tapering, often sharply above 60–80%, to limit lithium plating and heat. Peak C-rates of 2–4C are common in 2024–2025 models, enabling 10–80% in about 18–30 minutes. Cold batteries charge much more slowly unless preconditioned.
Standards: CCS1/NACS (North America), CCS2 (Europe), GB/T (China), CHAdeMO (Japan, legacy). A 350 kW hub with several dispensers may need a medium-voltage grid connection of several MW, so operators increasingly add on-site batteries to cap demand charges. Frequent fast charging accelerates ageing modestly, more for NMC than LFP.
Related terms
All terms →- AC charging (Level 1/2)
Charging an electric vehicle from alternating-current supply, with the vehicle's on-board charger converting AC to DC; typically 1.4–22 kW.
- C-rate
The charge or discharge current of a battery relative to its capacity; 1C empties a full battery in one hour, 0.5C in two hours.
- Battery electric vehicle (BEV)
A vehicle propelled solely by electric motors powered from an on-board rechargeable battery, with no internal combustion engine.
- State of charge (SoC)
The remaining charge in a battery expressed as a percentage of its current full capacity.
- BESS (Battery Energy Storage System)
A complete grid- or site-connected battery installation, including cells, battery management, power conversion, thermal management and controls.