Everything you need to know about charging a Tesla

Sheila Fitzgerald // Shutterstock Charging an electric car can seem like a daunting task. Charging locations can be unreliable and sparse, and range anxiety remains a common fear for new electric vehicle (EV) drivers. But Tesla makes charging easy for its drivers. The automaker now offers a healthy lineup of cars, from the entry-level Model 3 to the range-topping flagship Cybertruck. All Tesla vehicles use the same North American Charging Standard (NACS) charge port and can be charged at home or on the road at a Tesla Supercharger. Here, CarGurus outlines everything you need to know about charging a Tesla, including how long it takes, how much it costs, and even if the weather can have an impact. How Long It Takes to Charge Every Tesla Model Tesla Model 3 Recently refreshed for 2024, the Tesla Model 3 offers up to 342 miles of EPA-estimated range in Long Range AWD trim. Level 3: Add up to 175 miles of range in 15 minutes using Tesla’s fastest V4 Supercharger. Level 2: Add up to 44 miles of range per hour, meaning it will take approximately 8 to 12 hours for a full charge. Level 1: Add up to three miles of range per hour, taking up to 64 hours to fully charge a depleted battery. Tesla Model S Tesla’s flagship sedan, the Model S offers up to 402 miles of EPA-estimated range. Level 3: Add up to 200 miles of range in 15 minutes using Tesla’s fastest V4 Supercharger. Level 2: Add up to 41 miles of range per hour, meaning it will take approximately 10 to 20 hours for a full charge. Level 1: Add up to three miles of range per hour, taking up to 78 hours to fully charge a depleted battery. Tesla Model X Tesla’s flagship crossover, the Model X offers up to 335 miles of EPA-estimated range. Level 3: Add up to 171 miles of range in 15 minutes using Tesla’s fastest V4 Supercharger. Level 2: Add up to 35 miles of range per hour, meaning it will take approximately 10 to 20 hours for a full charge. Level 1: Add up to three miles of range per hour, taking up to 78 hours to fully charge a depleted battery. Tesla Model Y Tesla’s entry-level crossover offers up to 320 miles of EPA-estimated range in Model Y Long Range RWD trim. Level 3: Add up to 160 miles of range in 15 minutes using Tesla’s fastest V4 Supercharger. Level 2: Add up to 44 miles of range per hour, meaning it will take approximately 8 to 12 hours for a full charge. Level 1: Add up to three miles of range per hour, taking up to 72 hours to fully charge a depleted battery. Tesla Cybertruck The Tesla Cybertruck offers up to 320 miles of estimated range. Level 3: Add up to 128 miles of range in 15 minutes using Tesla’s fastest V4 Supercharger. Level 2: Add to 30 miles of range per hour, meaning it will take approximately 10 to 24 hours for a full charge. Level 1: Add up to three miles of range per hour, taking up to 96 hours to fully charge a depleted battery. How To Charge a Tesla How quickly a Tesla can charge (or supercharge) depends on the model, trim, and the kilowatt rate of charging. Battery size is also key: Keep in mind that a Long Range rear-wheel-drive (RWD) Model 3 has a much smaller battery size than a Cybertruck, greatly impacting its charge time. The simplest way to charge your Tesla is at home, using a standard 120-volt three-prong outlet with the Tesla Mobile Connector (sold separately). This is called Level 1 AC charging and is one of the more convenient ways to charge, assuming you purchased the mobile connector. It’s easy, but it’s also slow. Plug your car into any old grounded outlet, and you can add up to three miles of range per hour of charging. If the Level 1 charging rate is too slow for your daily commuting needs, you may need an electrician to upgrade your outlet to Level 2 AC charging. Level 2 home charging requires, at a minimum, a 240-volt NEMA 14-50 outlet. These are commonly found in most homes for energy-intensive appliances like washing machines or electric dryers. You can either plug a Tesla Mobile Connector into a 240-volt outlet (using the adapter supplied with the Mobile Connector) or install a Tesla Wall Connector. The latter can charge at speeds up to 11.5 kilowatts (kW)-or up to 44 miles of range per hour-from a 60-amp circuit. Public Tesla Wall Connectors can also be found commercially at hotels, restaurants, and parking garages. These public charging stations are known as Destination Chargers. More commercial Level 2 charging stations can now be found easily in the wild: These are typically 6- to 8-kW public charging stations installed in many town centers and shopping plazas by various companies-ChargePoint, Flo, EVgo, and Electrify America are some of the most common. Charging your Tesla at these public charging stations may require the use of a J-1772 to NACS Adapter. Tesla fast charging, defined as “Level 3” or DC Fast Charging (DCFC), is one of the many strengths of the Tesla ecosystem. Since 2012, Tesla has built a vast network of Level 3 charging stations, known as Tesla Superchargers, around the globe. The newest versions of these fast chargers (V3 or V4) can deliver electricity at speeds up to 250 kW, offering up to 200 miles of range in as little as 15 minutes. The older V2 stations are limited to 150 kW, and some “Urban” stations, designed to fill a smaller footprint and support higher use volume, can deliver only 72 kW. Charging at these V2 or Urban Superchargers, while much faster than Level 2 AC Charging, will still be considerably slower than the V3 or V4 Superchargers. Finally, Supercharging a Tesla at these speeds is available only at Tesla Supercharger locations; no home installations are available. The Supercharger network is recommended for road trips or long commutes, as regular DC Fast Charging can increase the wear and tear on your battery. What is the Best Way to Charge a Tesla? Lithium-ion-based batteries (the types of batteries commonly found in EVs and consumer electronics) are generally happiest at a state of charge between 10% and 80%. Regularly charging a car to 100% can be detrimental to long-term battery health, so Tesla’s Charge Settings menu allows you to limit the maximum charge to combat this issue. However, if you are preparing for a road trip, you’ll likely want to charge to 100% to maximize your driving range. Charging a Tesla at Home or On the Road When charging your Tesla at home, simply using a Level 1 charger overnight is perfectly adequate for most drivers. Leaving your Tesla charging overnight on a Level 1 plug will give you roughly 30 miles of range, plenty for the average U.S. daily commute of 27 miles. If your daily commute is longer than average, consider installing a Level 2 charging option. Choices include Tesla’s Home Connector or a 240-volt outlet. Charging your Tesla at home with Level 2 AC charging will give you up to 44 miles of range per hour. Level 3 DC Fast Charging at Tesla Superchargers is best used for road trips when you need to maximize your charging session. When you do use a Supercharger, keep in mind the charge curve of your battery pack. To preserve the health of the battery, all Tesla models will ramp down the charging speeds as the battery fills up, meaning topping off the last 10% of your battery’s capacity will take longer than charging the first 10%. In fact, it may take as long to charge from 20% to 80% as it will to charge from 80% to 100%. How Do Weather Conditions Impact Charging and EV Range? Weather conditions can have a major impact on range and EV charging speeds. Usually, it’s the cold weather that has the bigger impact on range. Lithium-ion batteries do have target operating temperatures, so when temperatures drop in the winter, you spend more energy warming up your battery in addition to your cabin. Further, whether you are using heat or air conditioning, running your climate control is another power draw on your battery. Keep this in mind on your road trips throughout the year, as a drive that did not require any charging stops in the summer could require one in the winter. Improve Charging by Battery Conditioning Battery temperatures also have an effect when charging your Tesla. To maximize charging speeds, a battery needs to be warmed to its proper operating temperature. This process is known as “pre-conditioning.” To pre-condition your Tesla battery at home, you can schedule charging and departures through the Charge Settings menu. This ensures that charging is complete and the cabin climate is set by your departure time. When planning a road trip, enable Tesla’s Trip Planner in Maps to optimize your route and travel time. Tesla’s onboard navigation does a great job of planning charging stops and charge times. As you approach the Superchargers on your route, your Tesla will automatically start pre-conditioning the battery so your car is ready to charge at maximum speed when you pull into the next Supercharger station. How Much Does it Cost to Charge a Tesla? How much it costs to charge your Tesla again depends on a few factors. The cost of using a home charger is based on your normal residential electric rate, typically charged per kilowatt-hour (kWh). Level 1 charging usually delivers only 1.3 kW per hour, while Level 2 can deliver up to 11.5 kW per hour. Check with your electric company on estimated costs, and be aware that the time of day you are charging can affect your rate-some areas charge lower rates during overnight “off-peak” hours. You can set your Tesla to only charge during these off-peak hours through the Charge Settings menu. Charging costs at public Level 2 and Level 3 at Tesla Superchargers vary based on energy delivered and time spent charging. Generally, public charging costs are based on how many kWh are delivered to your Tesla. How many kWh you need to charge a Tesla depends on your model and your state of charge, or battery percentage, when you plug in. For example, a Model 3 has a much smaller battery capacity (82 kWh) than a Cybertruck (123 kWh). Level 3 charging at Superchargers can get pricey with the huge amounts of energy being delivered by the chargers. And be sure to keep track of your state of charge while plugged in to avoid any idle or congestion fees once your Tesla is done charging. This story was produced by CarGurus and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media.