Charging time

What it means

Charging time is how long the battery takes to refill, normally quoted from near-empty to full. It depends on three things: the size of the pack, the power of the onboard charger, and the supply the berth can actually give you.

Shore power is the limit, not the charger

Most electric boats charge from a shore-power inlet on the pontoon. A typical European berth offers 16 A at 230 V — about 3.7 kW — and many older marinas offer less. A 40 kWh pack on such a supply is an overnight job regardless of what the boat is capable of accepting. Berths with 32 A or three-phase supply exist, but they cannot be assumed, and the boat's own charger sets a ceiling of its own.

Why it matters

It is the difference between a boat you can use twice in a day and one you cannot. It is also the least-published figure in this catalogue, which is itself worth knowing: ask the builder for the charge time at 16 A, not just the best case.