Laadtempo

Laadtempo is a Dutch term describing the pace at which electrical energy is delivered to a battery during charging, with particular relevance for electric vehicles. In practice, laadtempo refers to charging speed and is often expressed as charging power in kilowatts or as the time required to reach a target state of charge.

Several factors determine laadtempo: the maximum power of the charger, the vehicle’s on-board charger and battery management system, temperature, the current state of charge, and grid limitations. During charging, most EV batteries follow a charging curve that starts with higher power and then tapers as the battery approaches full. The result is that the actual time to reach a given SOC depends on both hardware and control software.

Typical real-world speeds vary widely. Slow or home AC charging commonly operates at 3-7 kW; higher-power home or public AC charging may deliver 11-22 kW; DC fast charging stations commonly offer 50-350 kW, with the actual delivered power constrained by the vehicle’s acceptance and the charger’s capability.

Impact and management: a higher laadtempo improves convenience and reduces downtime but can stress the electrical grid if many vehicles charge simultaneously. Smart charging and load management can adjust tempo to off-peak periods or align with renewable generation, while standards and policy efforts aim to improve interoperability and reliability across charging networks.

See also: electric vehicle charging, charging station, charging curve, kilowatt, state of charge.