How to do DC Charging : Suzuki eVitara

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How to do DC Charging: Suzuki eVitara 

20% battery, evening drive home, and a choice: charge at home for about 8 hours (and get up at 3 AM to switch it off), or try the DC fast charger at a Nexa showroom. I tried Nexa DC for the first time with my Suzuki eVitara. My battery went from 23% to 80% in about 39 minutes and the bill was ₹716. Here's exactly how to start a session, what it cost compared with home charging and petrol, and the 4 things to know before your first visit.

The 3 AM problem with home charging

I charge at home on a 7.4 kW AC wall charger. That's perfect overnight, but from a low battery it takes a while:

  • 20% → 100% is 80% of the pack, about 48 kWh.
  • 48 kWh ÷ 7.4 kW ≈ 6.5 hours, plus charging losses and the slower finish near 100% ≈ 7–8 hours.
  • Plugged in at 7:30 PM, it would finish around 3 AM.

The charger does cut off automatically at 100%, but I prefer to switch it off myself when charging ends. I didn't want a 3 AM alarm, so I drove to the Nexa DC charger instead.

At the Nexa showroom

I went to the Nexa showroom on Saswad Road, Pune. It has a 60 kW DC charger with two guns (Gun A and Gun B). When I arrived, another car was parked in front of the charger. As soon as security saw an eVitara coming in to charge, they had it moved. Good service, and a reminder to ask staff politely if a charger is blocked.


How to start a Nexa DC charging session: 4 steps

  1. Plug in. Take Gun B (CCS) from the charger and connect it to the eVitara's charging port. The charger recognises the car within a few seconds.
  2. Start the session, one of two ways.
    • e for me app (Maruti Suzuki's charging app): it detects the Nexa DC charger automatically. This is what I used.
    • RFID card: the charger screen asks you to tap the card, and the car is validated.
  3. Set your target. The app shows the current battery level and you pick the charge target. I was at 23% and set 100%, so the app calculated the energy needed and asked me to prepay ₹982.
  4. Pay and charge. Tap Initiate Charging, complete the payment gateway, and charging starts. My session started at 5:51 PM.




The result: 23% to 80% in about 39 minutes

Item My session
Charger60 kW DC, Gun B (CCS)
Battery23% → 80%
TimeAbout 39 minutes
Power near the end52.9 kW at the 38-minute mark
Energy35.803 kWh (average ≈ 55 kW)
Rate₹16.95/kWh + 18% GST = ₹20/kWh
Bill₹606.86 + ₹109.24 GST = ₹716.10

The charger was still pulling about 53 kW after 38 minutes, which is close to the 60 kW rating. Suzuki quotes 10–80% in about 45 minutes on DC fast charging, and my real session matched that well.





I set 100%, so why stop at 80%?

DC fast charging slows down sharply after about 80%, which is why manufacturers quote fast-charge times only up to 80%. Waiting for 80% → 100% takes much longer and keeps the next EV owner waiting too.

And the ₹982 I prepaid? The unused ₹265.90 was refunded automatically. You pay only for the energy you actually take, so it's safe to set a higher target and stop early.

Cost: Nexa DC vs home vs petrol

Rate Cost for 35.8 kWh Cost per km
Home (green EV meter)₹9.25/kWh₹331₹1.2
Nexa DC fast charger₹20/kWh (incl. GST)₹716₹2.6
Petrol SUV (Grand Vitara)₹111.90/litren/a₹5.3

DC charging cost me about 2.2 times what the same energy costs at home, ₹385 more. With fast charging, you're really paying to save time.

Per km, it still looks good. In my Pune–Mumbai range test, every 1% of battery gave about 4.8 km, so this 57% charge is worth about 275 km. That's ₹2.6 per km on DC, still about half the cost of a petrol SUV.


My simple rule: home or DC?

Charge at home Use DC fast charging
Daily charging, overnightHighway trips
Cheapest: ₹9.25/kWh on my green meterEmergencies
Gentle on the batteryLow battery in the evening, when you want a full night's sleep

4 tips before your first DC fast charge

  • Be ready to start. Install the e for me app and log in before you go, or carry your RFID card.
  • Check the gun's kW rating on the charger or in the app, so you know what speed to expect.
  • Check availability or pre-book in the app before leaving home. If a car is blocking the charger, ask the staff politely; I got help immediately.
  • Stop at 80%. Charging slows after that, and any unused prepaid amount is refunded automatically.

Watch the video

See the full session, the app steps and the charger screen in my video.

How often do you use DC fast charging: weekly, monthly or never? Tell me in the comments. And subscribe to eVSafar.in on YouTube for honest EV ownership numbers.

Related posts: Suzuki eVitara real range test · My EV home charging setup and real costs · eVitara charging rules: how I charge my car

Sources

  • Session data: my Nexa DC invoice (35.803 kWh, ₹16.95/kWh, 18% GST, ₹716.10), the e for me app (start 5:51 PM, ₹982 prepaid, ₹265.90 refunded) and the charger screen, 1 November 2026
  • Home rate: my MSEDCL LT-VI green EV meter, ₹9.25/unit
  • Range (4.8 km per 1%) and petrol cost (₹1,525 for 287.7 km at ARAI 21.11 km/l, petrol ₹111.90/l): my Pune–Mumbai range test, October 2026
  • Suzuki's 10–80% DC charging claim (about 45 minutes): EV Database, Suzuki e Vitara specifications

Cleaner Roads — Brighter Tomorrows.

eVSafar.in is an independent owner blog. I paid for this charging session myself. Charging rates, speeds and app features vary by station and can change; check the e for me app before you go.

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