Here’s a breakdown of the charging methods and approximately how long each takes to fully charge a Tesla from a low battery:
- Level 1 AC (120V outlet at home): 20-40 hours
- AC Level 2 (Third party chargers/Tesla chargers/Tesla home charger): 8-12 hours
- Level 3 DCFC (Tesla Supercharger): 15-25 minutes
Some of the most recognizable electric vehicles are available from Tesla. The most frequent query from consumers, however, is how long it takes to charge an electric car, be it a Tesla or any other brand.
Therefore, the time needed to fully charge a Tesla can range from one hour to seven days. To be clear, several factors affect the time it takes for your Tesla to charge. We provide an explanation of the charging time of different Tesla vehicles in order to make the details in this article abundantly clear. And these best apps for Tesla owners can improve your satisfaction with Tesla.
How Long Does It Take to Charge a Tesla?
It’s uncommon to charge any EV from “empty” to “full.” Driving your electric vehicle until the battery is completely dead is not only bad for the battery but also causes range anxiety and can leave you stranded.
Even though you can charge your Tesla to 100% while you sleep, you probably won’t want to if you’re waiting to get back on the road. When the battery is discharged, EVs charge more quickly.
The battery will charge more slowly the closer it is to being fully charged. The best strategy is typically to charge your battery to about 80%, stop the session as soon as the charging speed starts to slow down, and then resume driving.
In light of this, we have listed the approximate times needed to fully charge each popular Tesla model in the chart.
| Model | Charging Time |
|---|---|
| Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive | 6 hours and 15 minutes |
| Model 3 Long Range and Performance | 8 hours and 15 minutes |
| Tesla Model S | 8–12 hours |
| Tesla Model Y | 7 hours and 14 minutes |
| Tesla Model X | 7 hours |
| Tesla Model S Plaid | 14 hours |
| Tesla Model S P100D | 5 hours and 15 minutes |
| Tesla Roadster | 6 to 10 hours |
| Tesla Semi | 1 hour and 30 minutes |
| Tesla Cybertruck | 21 hours and 30 minutes |
The Cybertruck can charge an empty battery to 100% in approximately 21 hours and 30 minutes on a regular charge, at a speed of 35km/h, or around 44 minutes to charge the battery from 10% to 80% in fast charging, at a speed of 710 km/h.
At an AC charging station, you can charge the Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive from 0 to 100 percent in approximately 6 hours and 15 minutes, and the Model 3 Long Range and Performance from 0 to 100 percent in 8 hours and 15 minutes.
Due to the massive 100kWh battery pack, charging the Tesla Model S P100D will take approximately 15 hours and 15 minutes when using a 7.4kW home charge point.
On December 1, 2022, Tesla held its eagerly anticipated ceremony to officially introduce its electric Class 8 tractor, simply known as the Tesla Semi. The Tesla Semi will be able to recharge 70% of the battery in 30 minutes using the “Tesla Semi chargers”.
The Tesla Supercharger station, where Tesla charging takes no longer than an hour, can be easily located with the help of the app if it’s nearby. Your Tesla Model S is ready to go for the entire night or 8–12 hours when using a level 2 charger at home or in public.
This indicates that there is a fairly wide range of charging times: the typical charging time for a Tesla Model X ranges from under an hour to almost a week. Now let’s examine various Model X charging configurations and how long they take.
For AC charging, it utilizes a Type 2 connector, and for DC charging, a CCS connector. Depending on the speed of your charger, charging the Model Y can take anywhere from 16 minutes to 25 hours.
We put the new Model S to the test in the real world because Tesla claims it can run longer and charge more quickly. Your Tesla Model S Plaid can be fully charged in as little as 25 minutes or as long as five days, depending on the charger you use.
For any car enthusiast, Tesla roadsters are thrilling, quick rides! The charging times are also reasonable, just like any Tesla! Depending on the charger you use, you can fully charge a Roadster in 1-30 hours.
Types of Charging Levels
Level 1, Level 2, and DC Fast Charging are the different Tesla and EV charging levels. Level 3 charging is a term that is occasionally used to describe Tesla Supercharging and DC Fast Charging, which are essentially the same. The official SAE standard does not, however, make reference to Level 3. Similar to slang, Level 3 isn’t really a thing, but the automotive industry is starting to adopt it and understand it.
To help you understand more clear, we compared these four types of charging levels in one chart:
| Charging Levels | Charge Speed |
|---|---|
| Level 1 charging(NEMA 5-15) | Up to 5 miles per hour |
| Level 2 charging(NEMA 14-50) | Up to 31 miles of range per hour |
| Supercharger | Up to 200 miles in 15 minutes of charge |
| Wall Connector | Up to 44 miles of range per hour charged |
Level 1 charging(NEMA 5-15)
A NEMA 5-15 charger is included with every Tesla and may be connected to any regular 120-volt outlet. Second, these are the typical household outlets, like the ones where your laptop or phone is plugged in.
NEMA 5-15 chargers will subsequently add approximately 3 miles of range in one hour of charging. Without a doubt, this is the slowest way to charge your Tesla.
Consequently, nighttime use is advised. Additionally, depending on your Tesla model and version, it could take four to eight days to fully charge an empty battery.
Level 2 charging(NEMA 14-50)
You can charge the car up to seven times faster using a level 2 charger. They have a 240 V unit connection and a maximum power output of 19.2 kW. You could also hardwire them to the home circuit. Although you can easily find such chargers on the market, they are not included with the purchase of the car.
In particular, Tesla’s NEMA 14-50 adaptor will charge your Tesla much more quickly than the NEMA 5-15 charger because it makes use of a more powerful outlet. Depending on the Tesla model and version you have, it may take nine to 22 hours to fully charge an empty car battery.
DC Fast Charging(Tesla Supercharger)
DC Fast Charging is the quickest way to charge an EV. The most extensive DC Fast Charging network for EVs is the Tesla Supercharger network, which has locations on major global transportation corridors. In contrast to Level 1 and Level 2 charging, which rely on an electric vehicle’s onboard charger to convert alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC), DC Fast Charging takes care of this process before supplying power to your EV.
In just under 40 minutes, superchargers can recharge a car’s battery up to 80%. In order to preserve the battery’s health until it is fully charged, the charging process slows down after the battery reaches 80%. Here is How to Find a Tesla Supercharger Station.
Tesla Wall Connectors
Tesla offers at-home wall connector charging stations that serve as an “upgrade” from the standard charging cord provided when you purchase your Tesla Model S, Model S Plaid, or Model X can be charged at home with the installation of a wall connector by an electrician.
A wall connector can fully charge your Tesla Model S battery in 6 to 9 hours, or your Model X battery in 6.5 to 10 hours.
How to Install a Tesla Charger at Home?
Here are the simple steps to install a Tesla charger at home:
- Opening Up the Charger: The charger’s front cover must first be removed after being taken out of the box.
- Check the Baseplates: For conduits that will enter the charger from the bottom or back, the low-profile bracket should be used; for conduits that will enter from the top, the top entry bracket should be used.
- Mount the Charger: An appropriate location should be picked before mounting the charger. First, make sure that the cord will reach the vehicle’s charge port.
- Run the Conduit: The charger and top entry bracket include threaded connections for 1″ conduit. If you are mounting the charger on a finished, studded wall you may be able to run un-protected Romex-type wire directly into the back of the charger, but for all other wiring configurations, you will need to run conduit between the electrical panel and the charger.
- Select and Pull the Wire: Pull the wires after installing the conduit.
- Connections in the Sub Panel: Before you do any electrical work in a sub panel, you should flip the breaker on the main panel to supply power to the sub panel.
- Connections in the Charger: A sizable green plastic block has terminal connectors on the side into which the two-phase wires are inserted.
- DIP and Rotary Switches: To the right of the DIP switches is a rotary dial, which is used to set the maximum current that the charger can draw.
- Closing the Charger: The charger can be shut back up once the wiring is complete. Make sure the ribbon cable is connected to the circuit board on the inside of the cover before you reattach the inner cover.
Tesla Charging Problems
Conclusion: Tesla Charging Time Guide
If you drive a Tesla, you can be sure that it will be able to charge at whatever rate is necessary. This covers charging extremely quickly while you’re driving, possibly in a remote area with few Supercharger stations.
Fast charging is necessary for circumstances like this. If you have an L2 charger at home, you can charge your Tesla more slowly and wake up the next day to a fully charged battery. L1 charging will also do the trick if you’re not in a rush.
Here is a tip for lowering the cost of charging your Tesla: When you buy an electric car, the cost of the electricity you use to charge the battery equals the cost of fuel for the vehicle. You can completely avoid using any grid electricity by pairing your EV with home solar panels.
FAQs on Tesla Charging
How Long Does a Tesla Car Battery Last?
On a single charge, the smallest Tesla battery capacity (in the Model 3) will last for 262 miles. Tesla’s Model S battery has a maximum range of 405 miles per full charge. It’s important to note that these figures are not always exact, and you should always take initiative when it comes to charging your Tesla.
The way you drive, the type of road you’re on (highway vs. backroad), and the size/model of your battery are some variables that may affect the amount of distance your battery can carry you.
The lifespan of a Tesla car battery can change depending on a number of factors, similar to the range for a single charge. As a rule of thumb, Tesla batteries have a 300,000-500,000 mile lifespan, the equivalent of 21-35 years based on the average number of miles driven by Americans.
How Much Does It Cost to Charge a Tesla?
Because they use electricity as fuel effectively, electric cars offer significant daily fuel savings. Because electricity prices vary from utility to utility and from state to state, the cost to fully charge a Tesla depends on the car you have and where you live.
The price to “fill up” a cost of a Tesla Model S battery for home use varies from $6.60 (in Washington state) to just over $21.00 (in Hawaii). Prices for a Tesla Model X will vary from $6.70 in Washington to almost $22 in Hawaii.
How Can I Tell When My Tesla is Fully Charged?
Additionally, every Tesla electric car has a display that provides system diagnostics. The battery charge for your electric vehicle is one specific piece of information included in this. Your Tesla shows you exactly how much power you have, how much you need to get home, and how long it will take to charge while it is charging.
Certainly, in many ways today, electric vehicles outperform gas ones. Without a doubt, the cost to refuel a Tesla EV is much less than the price of gas for a gas-powered vehicle.
Can You Put Gas In A Tesla?
No, you can’t put gas in a Tesla. Tesla vehicles are electric, so their primary source of propulsion is not gasoline. In its place, the vehicles use batteries that must be charged at home or at a special electric charging station.
No need to drive to a gas station for Tesla drivers. Only until the battery panels are fully charged do they need to charge their cars, just like they would any other electric device. Tesla cars cannot run on gas because they are entirely electric. Only a hybrid Tesla could use gas as fuel.
Can You Charge A Tesla In The Rain?
No. Rain can cause you to stop in your tracks and consider whether you should try to keep your car charged and keep going, or wait a while to see if the rain will stop.
People naturally assume that rain would result in some kind of an electrical shock to the person attempting to plug in their vehicle because water is a good conductor of electricity. But that isn’t always the case.
Thankfully, you are right if you assumed that you could charge your Tesla in the rain. The components that are used to connect your vehicle to the charger are made of high-quality materials that are designed for outdoor use. They are able to be used safely and without any problems, when it is raining.
