How Long Does It Take to Charge a Tesla?
In short, it takes between 1H and 65H to charge a Tesla depending on the model, the battery type, the charger type and the weather conditions.
The table below summarise how long it takes to charge your Tesla according to the model and charging levels:
| Level 1 Charging | Level 2 Charging | Tesla Supercharger | |
| Model S | 49 to 53 hours | 12 to 13 hours | 1 hour |
| Model X | 61 to 65 hours | 12 to 13 hours | 1 hour |
| Model 3 | 22 to 28 hours | 8 hours | 40 minutes |
| Model Y | 40 to 43 hours | 8 to 9 hours | 1 hour |
If you are interested in getting a better understanding of the different factors impacting the charging time of your Tesla, we are sure that you will find this piece of content helpful.
Despite the fact that Tesla has upended the EV industry, there are still a few aspects about which mainstream consumers are wary. The operational range and the debates surrounding it come first, but charging times are a close second. So, how long does a tesla take to charge?
Everyone knows that electric vehicles take a long time to charge, but no one knows how long it will take or what factors will affect it. Even early adopters of Tesla technology observed inconsistencies in charging durations, therefore we feel compelled to describe the charging procedure and how long it takes using Tesla models as an example.
How long does Tesla take to charge?
If you possess a regular (fuel based) vehicle, charging a Tesla is the same as going to the gas station. The electric car connects to a power source and charges its battery, which powers the electric motors. Unlike gas-powered cars, which can only be refuelled at gas stations because they require a special facility to store fuel, Tesla models can be charged in a variety of locations, including at home, at the mall, on the street, or at dedicated charging stations.
But the charging site has a big impact on charging times, and it's important to note that while the power is the same everywhere, the voltage and battery capacity aren't, and that's what makes all the difference when it comes to evaluate how long it takes to charge a Tesla.
What Affects the Charging Times?
There are 3 main factors that will affect your Tesla charging time:
- Factor 1: Battery Types
- Factor 2: Charger Types
- Factor 3: Outdoor Temperatures
Factor 1: Battery Types
Understanding how long does it take a Tesla to charge boils down to understanding the battery. The vehicle's battery capacity is denoted in kWh. Small electric vehicles feature small batteries with lower capacity, typically in the 30 to 50 kWh range, resulting in a shorter range and less power. All Tesla models, however, have batteries ranging from 50 to 100 kWh, which take longer to fully charge.
Factor 2: Charger Types
The type of charger and the location where you charge your Tesla are the second factors that have a significant impact on charging times.
When you plug your home charger into a wall outlet, you're using a 120 volts electrical source, also known as Level 1 Charging. This charger type is the one requiring the longest time to charge.
Level 2 Charging is a home gadget that has been improved to provide additional power and voltage.
Level 3 Charging (also known as DC Fast Charging) is the fastest and is widely utilised on Tesla Supercharging stations. This level provides consumers with a tremendous surge of energy that can charge the battery up to 80% in under an hour.
It takes much longer to charge your Tesla with a Level 1 charger compare to a level 3 charger. We will cover this in details in our next section.
Factor 3: Outdoor Temperature
Third, the outdoor temperature can effect charging times, and some users have observed slower charging times in extreme cold. This can also be linked to the greater power consumption of electric vehicles during winter driving and overheating difficulties in tropical climes.
How long does it take to fully charge a Tesla based on the different levels of charging?
As mentioned before, there are 3 types of Tesla chargers:
- Level 1 chargers
- Level 2 chargers
- Level 3 chargers
Let's breakdown and analyse the charging times for each level.
Level 1 Charging Times
Level 1 Charging is a home charging method in which your Tesla is plugged directly into a power outlet. Although it is the most convenient, such charging is the least powerful, and charging a Tesla Model S P100D's 100 kWh battery, for example, can take up to three days! Of course, charging the Tesla model with the base, 50 kWh battery pack will take less time, but it will still be excruciatingly slow and take a long time to fully charge your Tesla.
Level 2 Charging Times
Level 2 Charging is a superior alternative, as it is also a home charging system that employs a converter to boost the power to 240 volts, resulting in significantly shorter charging times. The potential of the Level 2 system to provide you with 7.2 to 11.5 kWh of electric power is its most important characteristic (per hour).
So, using basic math abilities, we can estimate that it will take as long as a minimum of 13 hours to fully charge your Tesla's massive 100 kWh battery pack.
Because the number of kWh your Level 2 charger can provide varies depending on the local electrical network, it's best to collect specific information before installing so you can securely calculate how long it takes to charge your vehicle.
The majority of Tesla users choose this option since it delivers fast enough charging without requiring you to leave your home.
However, most households have the capacity to produce 11.5 kWh, reducing charging durations to 9 hours for a 100-kWh battery or less for a smaller battery pack.
Level 3 (DC Fast Charging) Times
The DC Fast Charging system, often known as the Tesla Supercharger, is a type of Level 3 charging. It operates on direct current rather than alternating current, as your home charging systems do (Level 1 and Level 2) which is an important factor in explaining why the charge time is reduced.
Tesla Superchargers are not as prevalent as other methods of charging because this relatively industrial solution is not available as a residential application and requires specialised and expensive equipment. Superchargers are located near important highways and traffic hubs, but not in residential neighbourhoods or shopping malls, as you may know.
Despite this, there are over 12,000 Tesla Superchargers throughout the world, with more being built every day.
DC Fast Charging operates at a voltage of 800 volts, which is 6.5 times more powerful than Level 1 charging. The simple rationale is that higher voltage allows the battery to “put” electricity into the battery much faster, resulting in reducing how long it takes to charge your Tesla. With a Supercharging or Level 3 charger, the average Tesla model can charge up to 80% of its battery in 30 to 45 minutes.
Regardless of the power, the DC Fast Charger will charge Tesla's battery quickly up to 80% and then slow down. This function is a built-in safety precaution that protects the battery from being damaged by a rapid burst of electric power and therefore last longer.
Due to the high cost and difficulty of replacing lithium-ion batteries, this is a brilliant and necessary feature that all manufacturers have accepted. If there wasn't a safety feature, the Tesla Model X's large 100 kWh battery could be fully charged from 0 to 100% in less than an hour, which would be ground-breaking.
Charging Times and Range Extension
Most electric vehicle owners are more concerned with the physical representation of their battery, which is the range. That is why, knowing how long does it take to charge a Tesla battery and have a better understanding of charging times allow you to have more insights on how it affects the real-world range of Tesla vehicles.
The hour-mile computation is difficult to construct because the Level 1 and Level 2 chargers are slow. Users using DC Fast Chargers, on the other hand, can rely on precise data.
Tesla now offers four separate versions (Model S, Model X, Model Y, and Model 3), all of which are powered by battery packs ranging from 50 to 100 kWh. When plugged into a Tesla Supercharger for 15 minutes, the range is increased from 142 miles to 175 miles (Model X) (Model 3). This is incredible when compared to other EVs on the market and their charging times, and 15 minutes of supercharging will get you home.
Disclaimer:
Tesla, Inc. was not involved in the development of this document and did not provide any input or otherwise edit, review or authorize it.
