Tesla Model 3 breaks Guinness World Record for fastest charging EV

A Tesla Model 3 Performance has comprehensively shattered the Guinness World Record for the shortest charging time required to cross the United Kingdom, breaking the previous record by more than two hours.

While technically now the record holder as fastest-charging electric vehicle in the UK, there are some strict caveats attached to that title.

The record doesn’t judge how long it takes a vehicle recharge when connected to a single charger, but rather how much time is spent charging in total when driving the 1376 kilometres from the most northern point of Scotland to the bottom of Cornwall in England.

A trio of drivers, assembled by UK charity Zero Carbon World, took a little over 15 hours to complete the journey, of which one hour, 31 minutes and 32 seconds was spent charging

Formula E racer Alexander Sims was among the drivers, along with the charity’s chair, Dean Fielding, and another EV driver, David Peilow. The trio piloted a Tesla Model 3 Performance. 

“We’re ecstatic to have achieved this incredible time, which is less than half that of the previous record,” says Fielding. “The attempt was in the planning for just two weeks, when (we) realised that a high-speed IONITY charger had been installed in Cullompton, Devon. This made it possible to attempt a new record with high-speed charging stations at suitable points along the way.” 

According to the charity, the group made four charging stops, three at IONITY stations and one at a Tesla Supercharger, along the way, with the Tesla only taking on enough charge to make it to the next charging point. 

“We averaged 6.05km/kWh, with a charging efficiency of 97 per cent,” says Peilow. “When considering the grid carbon intensity and losses, we averaged 19.5g CO2/km.

“The Tesla Model 3 Performance was chosen for the record attempt due to its charging capacity, rate and range. Not all EVs could achieve the charging time we did, but plenty of EV models are capable of comfortably making the epic road trip, simply by charging to 80 per cent rather than our minimal charges.”

According to Tesla in Australia, the Model 3 Performance will deliver 560km in driving range between charges.