Real world charging times of all EVs tested in 2026

We’ve tested the charging performance of seven EVs so far in 2026, spanning a range of battery capacities and DC fast-charging capabilities. We recorded their 20-80 percent charging times as well as their peak charging speeds. Here’s how they rank from the slowest to the fastest.

7. Tata Punch EV

Prices: Rs 9.79 lakh to Rs 12.99 lakh

Tata updated the Punch EV earlier this year, bringing with it larger battery packs (30kWh and 40kWh), among other updates. Besides being the most affordable EV here, it’s also the slowest-charging car on this list. That said, its performance remains respectable by segment standards.

Using a 180kW DC fast charger, charging speeds hovered between 65-67kW from 25-50 percent state of charge, before tapering off beyond 50 percent and dropping sharply after 90 percent. Its 40kWh battery pack took 27 minutes to charge from 20-80 percent, and another 31 minutes to reach 100 percent. We also observed a peak charging speed of 67.3kW, slightly exceeding Tata’s claimed 65kW.

6. Toyota Urban Cruiser Ebella

Price: Rs 23.60 lakh

The Urban Cruiser Ebella is Toyota’s only EV on sale in India and is offered in a single variant with a 61kWh battery pack.

Using a 90kW DC fast charger, we recorded a peak charging speed of 68.2kW. Charging the 61kWh battery from 20-80 percent took 35 minutes, while the final 20 percent required another 36 minutes. Impressively, charging speeds remained consistently between 67-68kW from 20-50 percent state of charge.

You can expect similar charging performance from the Maruti Suzuki e Vitara, as the two models are essentially the same vehicle.

5. Mahindra BE 6 Sporteq

Prices: Rs 19.45 lakh to Rs 26.95 lakh

We charged the Mahindra BE 6 Sporteq, equipped with the 79kWh battery pack, using a 150kW DC fast charger. During the test, we recorded a peak charging speed of around 90kW, which is roughly half of Mahindra’s claimed figure. That said, charging speeds remained consistent at around 87-89kW from 20-80 percent state of charge, which is commendable.

The BE 6 took 33 minutes to charge from 20-80 percent and another 35 minutes to go from 80-100 percent.

Notably, owners have reported higher charging speeds, closer to the claimed 180kW, when using Mahindra and Zeon charging stations.

4. Vinfast VF7

Prices: Rs 22.99 lakh to Rs 28.09 lakh

We tested the dual-motor Vinfast VF7, equipped with a 70kWh battery, using a 180kW DC fast charger and observed a peak charging speed of 95.4kW.

Vinfast claims that charging from 10-70 percent takes 28 minutes. In our test, the VF7 required 38 minutes to charge from 20-80 percent using the same 180kW charger.

3. Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+

Price: Rs 60.50 lakh

The Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ is equipped with an 85kWh battery pack and an 800-volt electrical architecture, enabling charging speeds of up to 320kW. Mercedes claims a 10-80 percent charging time of just 22 minutes.

For our test, we used a 150kW DC fast charger, and the CLA’s 85kWh battery charged from 20-80 percent in 35 minutes and reached 100 percent after another 34 minutes. We recorded a peak charging speed of 125kW, with the charging rate averaging 96kW between 20-70 percent state of charge.

2. Tesla Model Y RWD:

Price: Rs 50.89 lakh

Tesla currently offers the 2026 Model Y in India with a single rear-mounted motor and a 60kWh LFP battery (64kWh gross). Using a 250kW Tesla Supercharger, the battery initially charged at an impressive rate. However, charging speeds dropped rapidly from 176kW at 30 percent state of charge to 109kW at 40 percent, before continuing to taper off thereafter.

In terms of charging times, the Model Y took 23 minutes to charge from 20-80 percent, while the final 20 percent required another 30 minutes.

1. Hyundai Ioniq 5:

Price: Rs 55.71 lakh

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is the fastest-charging EV we’ve tested so far in 2026. The updated model features a larger 84kWh battery pack, up from 72.6kWh in the previous version. Using a 360kW DC fast charger, charging speeds remained between 240-250kW from 30-50 percent state of charge before dropping sharply. We also recorded a peak charging speed of 251kW at around 50 percent state of charge.

As for charging times, the Ioniq 5 took just 16 minutes to charge from 20-80 percent - quickest we’ve seen to date; while reaching 100 percent required another 33 minutes.

Prices are ex-showroom, India.