📘 Electric Vehicle Guide

What are AC and DC charging, how do they work, how is cost calculated, which connector type does which vehicle use? Everything you need to know to understand EV technology in one page.

Sections

Power & Energy Units Distance & Range ⚡ AC Charging 🔌 DC Fast Charging 🔧 Connector Types 💰 Cost Calculation 📈 Charging Curve 💡 Practical Tips

Power & Energy Units (W, kW, MW, kWh)

Understanding electrical units is key to grasping EV charging speeds, battery capacities, and consumption. Here is a simple explanation of the differences between power and energy.

Power (nW - YW) — Charging Speed

Power represents the rate of electricity transfer (how fast energy is flowing). Think of it like the flow rate of water coming out of a faucet.
- Watt (W): The base unit of power.
- Kilowatt (kW): 1 kW = 1,000 W. This is the unit used to measure EV charging station speeds and motor power (e.g., a home charger is usually 7.4 kW or 11 kW).
- Megawatt (MW): 1 MW = 1,000 kW. Used for ultra-fast charging systems designed for heavy-duty vehicles (e.g., Megawatt Charging System - MCS).

Unit	Value
nW (nanowatt)	0.000000001 W (10^-9 W)
µW (microwatt)	0.000001 W (10^-6 W)
mW (milliwatt)	0.001 W (10^-3 W)
W (watt)	1 W
kW (kilowatt)	1,000 W
MW (megawatt)	1,000,000 W
GW (gigawatt)	1,000,000,000 W
TW (terawatt)	1,000,000,000,000 W
PW (petawatt)	1,000 TW (10¹⁵ W)
EW (exawatt)	1,000 PW (10¹⁸ W)
ZW (zettawatt)	1,000 EW (10²¹ W)
YW (yottawatt)	1,000 ZW (10²⁴ W)

Energy (Wh, kWh, MWh) — Battery Capacity

Energy represents the total amount of electricity stored or consumed over time. Think of it like the total amount of water stored in a tank.
- Watt-hour (Wh): The base unit of energy.
- Kilowatt-hour (kWh): 1 kWh = 1,000 Wh. This is the unit used to measure EV battery capacity and energy consumption (e.g., a typical EV battery holds 50 kWh to 100 kWh of energy).
- Megawatt-hour (MWh): 1 MWh = 1,000 kWh. Used for grid-scale storage and large heavy-duty fleets.

How They Work Together

The relationship between power (kW) and energy (kWh) determines your charging time:
Charging Time (Hours) = Battery Energy to Charge (kWh) / Charging Power (kW)
For example, if you want to add 50 kWh of energy to your battery using a 11 kW AC charger, it will take about 4.5 hours (50 / 11 ≈ 4.5).

Distance & Range Units (km, Mile, Consumption)

Distance Units (km, Mile, Nautical Mile)

Electric vehicle range and speed are expressed in different units depending on the country:
- Kilometer (km): Used in Turkey, continental Europe, Canada, Australia, Asia, South America, and Africa (about 90% of the world).
- Mile (mi / Land Mile): Used in the United States, United Kingdom, Myanmar, and Liberia. 1 Mile ≈ 1.609 km. To convert miles to km, multiply by 1.609 (e.g., 250 miles ≈ 402 km).
- Nautical Mile (nm / Deniz Mili): Used internationally in maritime and aviation. 1 Nautical Mile = 1.852 km.
- Other Local Units: In Sweden and Norway, a "Mil" (Scandinavian mile) is used in everyday speech to represent 10 km. In China, "Li" (里) is historically used (1 Li = 500 meters), though official EV dashboards globally use km or miles.

Energy Consumption & Range Calculation

EV energy consumption is usually expressed in kWh/100 km (kilowatt-hours per 100 kilometers). You can easily calculate your vehicle's range using battery capacity and consumption:
Range (km) = (Usable Battery Capacity [kWh] / Average Consumption [kWh/100 km]) × 100

Example Calculation:
If your vehicle has a 60 kWh usable battery capacity and an average consumption of 14 kWh/100 km:
- Range = (60 / 14) × 100 ≈ 428.5 km.
(If your consumption decreases to 12 kWh/100 km, your range increases to 500 km; if it rises to 18 kWh/100 km in winter, your range drops to 333 km).

What is AC Charging?

AC (Alternating Current) charging is the method used in homes and public slow charging stations. The grid in Turkey supplies alternating current, so home charging is naturally AC. Typical power range is 3.7 kW to 22 kW.

How does AC charging work?

AC current from the grid is converted to DC by the OBC (Onboard Charger) inside the vehicle and delivered to the battery. So in AC charging the actual conversion is done by the vehicle itself; the station just provides the current.

      Important note: In AC charging, the bottleneck is usually the vehicle's OBC capacity. Even if the station provides 22 kW, if the vehicle's OBC is limited to 11 kW, charging will be at 11 kW. Check OBC capacity when buying a new EV.    

Common AC power levels

3.7 kW

Older / entry-level (16A single-phase)

7.4 kW

Common EVs (32A single-phase)

11 kW

Modern European EVs (16A three-phase)

22 kW

Premium / high-end (32A three-phase)

Typical charging durations

AC charging time for a 60 kWh battery from 20% to 80% (36 kWh):

3.7 kW: ~10 hours
7.4 kW: ~5 hours
11 kW: ~3.5 hours
22 kW: ~2 hours

What is DC Fast Charging?

DC (Direct Current) charging is the high-power method used at public fast charging stations. Current is delivered directly to the battery, bypassing the OBC. This allows much higher power than AC.

DC power levels (as of 2026)

50-150 kW

Standard fast charging (CCS, CHAdeMO)

150-250 kW

Ultra-fast (new European stations)

250-350 kW

High-power fast charging

350-500 kW

Next-gen ultra-fast charging

1 MW+

MCS — for trucks/buses

What is the Megawatt Charging System (MCS)?

MCS (Megawatt Charging System) is a new charging standard developed for heavy commercial vehicles (trucks, buses, heavy machinery). Operates at 1 MW (1,000 kW) and above. Goal: charge an 800 kWh truck battery in 30 minutes (3-5x DC levels for passenger vehicles). First installations began worldwide in 2024-2026.

      Practical info: Most current passenger EVs accept maximum 150-250 kW DC. Even if a station provides 350 kW, the vehicle can't use it. Check your vehicle's "max DC charging power" in its documentation.    

DC charging durations

DC charging time for a 60 kWh battery from 20% to 80% (36 kWh, including charging curve effects):

50 kW: ~45 minutes
150 kW: ~25 minutes
250 kW: ~18 minutes
350 kW: ~15 minutes

Connector Types

Different regions use different charging connectors worldwide. The common pair used in Turkey: Type 2 (AC) and CCS Combo 2 (DC).

AC Connectors

Type 1 (SAE J1772): Older American and Asian market. Single phase, max 7.4 kW. Almost non-existent in Turkey.
Type 2 (Mennekes): European and Turkish standard. Three phase, up to 22 kW.
Schuko / CEE: Standard Wall Outlet (Schuko) & Industrial Sockets (CEE): Used for emergency or overnight home charging. Schuko supports up to 2.3-3.7 kW (single phase), while Blue CEE supports 3.7 kW and Red CEE (three-phase) supports up to 11-22 kW.

DC Connectors

CCS Combo 1: Type 1 + DC pins. American DC standard.
CCS Combo 2: Type 2 + DC pins. European and Turkish DC standard. Supports up to 350 kW usually, and up to 500 kW at liquid-cooled stations.
CHAdeMO: Japanese DC standard. Found in some older Asian-origin vehicles. Being phased out in Europe in favor of CCS2.
NACS: North American connector standard (SAE J3400). Developed by Tesla; it has now become the official standard adopted by almost all automakers for the North American market.
GB/T: Chinese national standard. AC and DC ports are physically separate. High-power versions support up to 250-500 kW.
ChaoJi: Jointly developed by China and Japan. Next-generation standard supporting ultra-high-power charging up to 1.5 MW.
MCS: Next-generation megawatt charging standard for heavy commercial vehicles (trucks, buses). Supports up to 3.75 MW.

      Practical Info: If you are buying a new EV, make sure it has the standard connector type of your region (such as Type 2 + CCS2 in Europe and Turkey, or NACS in North America). If you buy an older or region-incompatible model (like CHAdeMO or Type 1 in Europe), your public charging options will narrow significantly in the long run.    

How is Charging Cost Calculated?

Basic formula:

Cost = (Battery kWh × Charge %) × kWh price / Charging efficiency

Step-by-step example

Scenario: 60 kWh battery, charging from 20% to 80%:

Energy to charge: 60 × 0.60 = 36 kWh
Charging efficiency (~90%): 36 / 0.90 = 40 kWh drawn
Total cost: 40 kWh × your tariff's kWh price

Note: Fuel and electricity prices change constantly. Calculation results are approximate; actual values may vary./en/tools/charging/ac-calculator/" class="text-link">calculator.

Charging efficiencies

DC fast charging: %88-92
AC charging: %85-90
Cold weather (-10°C): 5-10% additional loss

Gasoline vs EV cost comparison

EV charging cost is significantly lower than gasoline/diesel in most cases. Typical relative ratios (per 100 km):

Home charging (AC, night tariff): 70-85% cheaper than gasoline — most economical EV usage
Public AC charging: 50-65% cheaper than gasoline, varies by operator tariff
DC fast charging: 25-45% cheaper than gasoline, difference is smaller at premium operators

Warning: These ratios are general averages. Fuel and electricity prices vary by country, period, and operator policies. Use your own fuel price and operator's kWh price for exact calculation.

➜ Try your own scenario with our calculator

Charging Curve

The charging curve shows how charging power changes with battery level. Lithium-ion batteries don't charge linearly — slow at start, fast in the middle, slow at the end.

Typical DC fast charge session

%0-20: Low power (protection if battery is very low)
%20-50: Peak power (battery charges fastest)
%50-80: Gradual power decrease
%80-100: Very slow charging (to protect battery cells)

      Practical advice: On long trips, charging to 80% and continuing is much more efficient than waiting for 100%. Most manufacturers specify DC fast charge times as "10% to 80%".    

Practical Tips

Extending battery life

Try to keep between 20-80% (except long trips)
Avoid daily DC fast charging; charge at home with AC if possible
Don't leave at high charge in extreme heat
Pre-condition battery before charging in cold weather
Charge to 100% only before long trips

Cost savings

Subscribe to 2-3 operators you use frequently (subscriber rates 20-40% cheaper)
Charge at home with cheap night tariff if possible
On trips, prefer AC stops over DC (during meal/rest breaks)
Abroad, prefer local operator apps over roaming cards

Trip planning

Plan backup stations for each DC stop on highway trips (~30 km away)
Use planning apps like Plugshare, Chargefinder, ABRP
Account for 20-30% range loss in cold weather
A/C consumes battery; pre-condition vehicle while still on charge