Fast charger prices: AC, DC, watts and costs
- yassine zeddou
- Oct 3, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 12, 2024

Quick chargers play an important role in the growing electric vehicle (EV) market, and prices vary depending on some key factors such as type (AC or DC), power capacity (in watts), and installation costs, This article discusses Fast charger prices: AC, DC, watts and costs, their different power charges, and their impact on costs for consumers and businesses. Understanding these factors can help you make decisions about the best and cost-effective charging solution for your different needs.
What is the difference between AC charger and DC charger ?
AC means alternating current and DC means direct current. But it is enough to say that both terms describe how electricity "flows" – the word "alternating" refers to the fact that alternating current alternates between positive and negative currents. This is how electricity is generated in power plants, it is wave-like movement, and that alternating current can travel much farther than direct current.
How does this all relate to the store? Well, the most important thing to remember is that electricity enters homes and sockets as alternating current, and it is usually our equipment that converts it into direct current. Smartphones and laptops, for example, have transformers that convert fluctuating alternating current into direct current before sending it to the battery.
Electric cars are the same, with a built-in converter that picks up and converts alternating current (which is often confused and called an "onboard charger"). The converted DC current is passed to the battery.
A DC charging station is the reason before electricity reaches your car.
What are amps, volts and watts ?
What is a volt ?
Volts are the power of the flow of current - imagine the voltage just as we are talking about the bandwidth of your broadband cable. The higher the tension, the higher the force that can be exerted.
What is an Amperes ?
"Amperes", short for "amperes", are units used to measure the amount of current consumed. They were named after the French physicist André Marie Amper, the radical founder of modern electrical science.
What is a watt ?
Wattage is a measure of energy output over a period of time, similar to the horsepower of an engine. When we exceed 1000 watts, we start consuming kilowatts, which is usually the case when charging an electric car.
These 3 terms are closely related in that wattage is the product of "amperes x volts". Or, to put it another way, quantity x force = total "workload".
Which charger is the fastest
DC chargers are also called "quick chargers" because they are faster than AC chargers. You might also call these "level 3" chargers.
The fact that a DC charger can convert electricity before it reaches your car means that if you can charge your car's battery this way, your car's battery will not be charged.
The chargers available on the market are the fastest. As new technologies are constantly appearing on the market, it is unlikely that a charger of a particular brand or model of charger will remain the fastest for a very long time. Currently the fastest charger on the market offers a power of 400 kW.
A modular charger with this effect can fully charge an electric car in just 15 minutes. Some are also designed to charge 4 electric vehicles simultaneously and provide a range of up to 100km in a few minutes at a time.
How many volts are provided by the fast charger.
DC chargers are usually larger, more powerful, and also offer current-related benefits. As a result, these chargers are powered between 400V and 900V and can charge the car battery from zero to 80% in 30 minutes.
How much does a quick charger cost ?
If you are driving an electric car, the cost of charging with a DC fast charger will largely depend on your location, your car and your energy provider or roaming network.
If you want to set up or extend your own charging network. Of course, charging point operators (CPOs) and entrepreneurs who want to consider installing a new charging station in a commercial, corporate, or residential facility should consider installing individual charging stations.,
It is worth investing in a quick charger
Since DC chargers actually cost much more than AC chargers, the question arises whether the additional investment is worth it.
The answer to this depends on the overall budget. For example, if only a few AC chargers are enough, this of course affects the decision-making.
DC chargers are the most powerful charging technology for electric vehicles and can charge much faster, so you can increase sales with the number of cars you can charge in 1 day.
Your choice depends on the budget and should be based on the needs of your customers and drivers. Here, it is important to consider the type of charger that is suitable for the available location, as it meets the needs of drivers who have to park for several hours when charging with alternating current, and those who need a short stop to go grocery shopping, etc. when charging with direct current.
However, direct current allows for fast and user-friendly charging, so it is a way to respond to the growing number of electric vehicle drivers who have to charge anywhere, and therefore achieving higher sales and cheaper consumption rates is a matter of course for Cpos who have the right place and can afford to pay higher costs…
conclusion
The price of a quick charger depends on the type (AC or DC), power output (in watts), and installation cost. AC chargers are cheap, but slow, and usually offer up to 22kW. DC fast chargers from 50 to 350kW are more expensive due to higher power and faster charging times. Installation and operating costs also affect the price, and generally suitable for commercial DC chargers are suitable for home use, while AC chargers are suitable for home use.
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