The present disclosure relates to electrochromic electrochromic elements and devices with high coloration/switching speeds. The high coloration speed electrochromic devices include an insulating layer (16), comprising an electrically insulating material with a dielectric constant of at least 10, and at least one electrochromic material (14, 18) having one or more optical properties that may be changed upon application of an electric potential. Upon provision of an electric potential above a threshold, electrons and holes may be injected into the electrochromic material and blocked by the insulating layer, resulting in an accumulation of the electrons and holes in their respective electrochromic material, which results in a change to the one or more optical properties of the electrochromic material in less than 10 seconds. An opposite electric potential may be provided to reverse the change in the one or more optical properties.