Are you wondering how much time does it take to charge a Tesla? This usually depends on your car’s battery size, condition, and the type of charging station you use.
It also greatly depends on which Tesla model you have.
As a Tesla owner, you have multiple charging options to choose from. For details on a Tesla car’s charging time, charging options, and other related information, continue reading below.
How Long Does It Take to Charge a Tesla?
In the USA, the average Tesla battery life is nearly 35-37 years. This would be nearly 300,000-500,000 miles of battery life.
The new models will now have (LFP) batteries for all its standard range vehicles. Meanwhile, the long-range Tesla vehicles would continue to have nickel cobalt aluminum batteries.
Whether these batteries need charging will depend on how and where Tesla is driven. Whereas, a Tesla’s recharge time will depend on the battery size and the charging option used.
Read Why Is Tesla Better Than Other Electric Cars?
Battery Size
Over the years, Tesla has been upgrading its battery size and range.
For instance, in 2015, Tesla upgraded its 60kWh battery to a 70kWh battery. By the end of 2016, Tesla upgraded to a 100kWh battery size. In 2019 the battery range was increased to 390miles of range.
Right now, Tesla is increasing the battery range of its Model 3 sedan by nearly 10%. This means that the battery size goes from 50kWh to a 62.3kWh size.
The table below shows the battery sizes and weights of different Tesla car models.
| Tesla Models | Weight in Pounds | Battery Size (kWh) |
| Model S | 1200 | 85 |
| Model X | 1200 | 100 |
| Model Y | 1150 | 80 |
| Model 3 | 1054 | 50/82 |
Charging Options for Your Tesla
In the USA, every Tesla owner has a number of charging options he/she could use. A Tesla comes with a mobile charging cord, along with three different adaptors. These three adaptors are for the at-home charging option.
- The NEMA 5-15, which is a standard wall outlet (120 volts)
- The NEMA 14-50, which is a wall outlet that has more power (240 volts)
- The wall connector that has to be installed to be used (480 volts)
Other than these three options, there is supercharging as well. This is the out-of-the-home charging option.
Lastly, one can also charge their Tesla with solar-powered panels.
Read How to Select Battery for Electric Car?
Charging Time for a Tesla
The three charging options that Tesla gives with their car, offer different charging durations for different models.
The NEMA 5-15 Tesla Battery Charger
The NEMA 5-15 is the most time-consuming battery charge option that Tesla offers. It is a 120 Volts battery charger for your at-home charging.
To use this charger, one needs to plug it into a standard wall outlet of choice.
This kind of charging option is mostly used when one has ample time for charging. For example, this would be great for an overnight charge.
The table below shows the time a NEMA 5-15 charger takes to charge different Tesla models.
| Tesla Models | Range (miles) | Duration to Charge |
| Model S | 345- 370 | 3 miles of range/hour |
| Model X | 305-325 | 3 miles of range/hour |
| Model Y | 280-300 | 3 miles of range/hour |
| Model 3 | 240- 310 | 3 miles of range/hour |
The NEMA 14-50 Tesla Battery Charger
This kind of Tesla charger essentially needs a 240 Volts wall outlet to be plugged into.
This Tesla charger is relatively more powerful and faster than the NEMA 5-15 Tesla charger.
The table below shows the time a NEMA 14-50 charger takes to charge different Tesla models.
| Tesla Models | Range (miles) | Duration to Charge |
| Model S | 345- 370 | 17-18 hours |
| Model X | 305-325 | 18 hours |
| Model Y | 280-300 | 11-12 hours |
| Model 3 | 240- 310 | 8-12 hours |
Read Charging an Electric Car in an Apartment
The Wall Connector Tesla Battery Charger
The wall connector is the third kind of adaptor that comes with a Tesla.
This is a connector charging station that can be installed at home with the help of an electrician. It is an upgrade from the other two forms of charging adaptors.
For instructions regarding how to install an at-home wall connector charging system, visit https://www.tesla.com/support/installation-manuals-wall-connector.
The wall connector charger is a 480 Volts charger. It takes relatively less time to charge a Tesla with this charger.
The table below shows the time a wall connector charger takes to charge different Tesla models.
| Tesla Models | Range (miles) | Duration to Charge |
| Model S | 345- 370 | 9 hours |
| Model X | 305-325 | 8-8.5 hours |
| Model Y | 280-300 | 7-8 hours |
| Model 3 | 240- 310 | 7-8 hours |
The Supercharger Tesla Battery Charger
Tesla superchargers are Tesla car charging stations that are easily available in most areas. With this charging option, one does not have to carry their cord and adaptors along while traveling.
Rather, these stations enable Tesla drivers to stay longer on the road.
It is a high-powered charging option that takes significantly less time to charge all Tesla models.
In the USA alone, Tesla has around 908 of these types of supercharging stations.
For details and locations of the supercharging stations in the USA, visit https://www.tesla.com/findus/list/superchargers/United+States.
The table below shows the time a supercharger station usually takes to charge different Tesla models.
| Tesla Models | Range (miles) | Duration to Charge |
| Model S | 345- 370 | 30 minutes |
| Model X | 305-325 | 25-30 minutes |
| Model Y | 280-300 | 25 minutes |
| Model 3 | 240- 310 | 25-32 minutes |
The cost of getting a Tesla car charged at a supercharging station varies according to where the station is.
For example, charging a Tesla Car in Washington may be as low as 7USD. While the same model if recharged in Hawaii could nearly be for 22USD.
Check out, What Companies Make Electric Car Charging Stations
Solar Charging a Tesla Car
Solar energy allows one of the most convenient recharging options. Anything that has a battery can also be charged with solar panels.
If 1 solar panel is 300 watts each, then 10 solar panels would charge up a Tesla. This recharge would allow the car to go for nearly 30 miles.
Ideally, to charge a Tesla with solar energy, an inverter must be used. Using an inverter would allow the same charging time as a regular Tesla charger.
There are two critical factors that affect the duration of solar charging of Tesla batteries.
One is where you live and the other is the time of the day. If you are recharging later in the day, then the sun exposure will be low. Consequently, the recharge would take much longer. Also, recharging cannot be done at night.
This method of charging up a Tesla is a much costlier method. The price of the solar panels, the inverter, and other related items could altogether cost 15000-17000 USD.
Read How far can an electric car go on one charge?
How to Know When a Tesla is Fully Recharged?
The inbuilt system of the Tesla shows you the complete charging status.
It shows you how much charging is done and how much is still needed. It shows you the time it would take for the Tesla to recharge completely. It also shows you how much charging you essentially need to get back home.
The JuiceNet website or app allows you to get this information via your mobile device.
How Long Does a Tesla Battery Charging Last?
In general, a Tesla battery can keep going for 336 miles on one charge. The lowest range that it goes for is 267 miles (Model 3 Tesla). While the highest range for a battery to keep going is 405 miles (Model S Tesla).
Tesla’s Car Battery Warranty
A Tesla battery’s warranty ensures that the battery should last for at least its claimed battery life.
The warranty will cover the mileage or the duration the car was driven. The warranty guarantees that the battery will be at its 70% starting capacity when the warranty is up.
If the battery capacity is less than 70%, a Tesla owner is eligible for the related replacement or repairs.
The Table below shows Tesla’s car battery warranties.
| Tesla Models | Warranty in Years | Warranty in Miles |
| Model S | 8 | 150,000 |
| Model X | 8 | 150,000 |
| Model Y | 8 | 120,000 |
| Model 3 | 8 | 120,000 |
For more information regarding how to claim your warranty, visit https://www.tesla.com/support/vehicle-warranty.
Read How Are Electric Car Charging Stations Powered
How to Optimize Your Tesla Battery Usage?
Purchasing a new battery for your Tesla could be extremely expensive. The price could go from 20,000USD to nearly 30,000USD.
To avoid having to change batteries, one needs to know how to optimize battery usage. They need to know how to care for a battery while improving the range.
Every time one charges their lithium-ion batteries, they lose some of the charging capacity. Meaning, with every recharge, the battery’s life naturally depreciates.
Hence one needs to develop the right charging habits to not speed up this process. Here are some practices that can prove helpful here:
- Setting a consistent charging routine. This will help maintain the battery’s range. For this, a low voltage charger is encouraged. Compared to the high voltage charging options, low voltage charging puts less stress on the batteries. Elon Musk himself encourages that the charging should fall between 20%-90%. A 100% battery charge is discouraged.
- By reducing your Tesla’s aerodynamic drag. Airplanes have a pointy design to cut through the air and reduce the aerodynamic drag. Just like that, Tesla sedans are designed to do the same to stay efficient. Having a bulky Tesla body due to luggage/cycle racks would reduce the efficiency of the battery.
- Always use regenerative brakes. By doing so, the Tesla’s kinetic energy gets converted to chemical energy. This energy gets stored and aids in improving the Tesla battery’s range. To store the energy produced by braking, select your Tesla’s ‘Standard Setting’ from the menu.
- Just like a full recharge, a complete discharge is also discouraged. Avoid letting your battery charge fall below 20%.
- Avoid accelerating unnecessarily. Strong accelerations over long periods can drain any car’s gas reserves. Similarly, excessive acceleration drains the battery, reduces range, and damages the tires of an e-car.
- Charge as frequently as needed. To avoid the battery level from falling to zero, try charging as often as you can. Ideally, charge every 1-3 days, so your car is always ready to hit the road.
- Keep the temperature of your Tesla battery in mind. Charging your Tesla battery right after a cold night will put a lot of stress on the battery. It will negatively affect the battery life and damage the driving range. To avoid your battery from getting too cold, try to keep your Tesla plugged in at all times.
Read Best Extension Cord for Charging Electric Cars
Final Thoughts
A Tesla is one of the most futuristic inventions of our time. The Tesla e-cars have revolutionized the entire car industry. The level of prestige, technology, and experience a Tesla gives justifies its market price.
Among other things, the Tesla e-car batteries are a major component of making this possible. The ever-evolving Tesla batteries come in different sizes and ranges. The model of the Tesla determines which battery it will carry.
As far as charging is concerned, the duration of a Tesla’s battery depends on several factors. These primarily include the battery size and the recharging source. Recharging a Tesla battery is also very cost-effective.
Tesla cars have three in-house charging systems, and one out-of-the-house supercharging system. The in-house charging systems have charging durations ranging from 6-18 hours.
The supercharging system is much faster and needs roughly 30 minutes of charging time. With almost 1000 charging stations all around the USA, getting a Tesla charged is not hard.
A Tesla can also be charged with solar panels; however, the cost of that is very high. We suggest exploring more cost-effective options that help you recharge easily.
It is also extremely important to take care of certain practices when managing your battery. The right care can positively impact the Tesla battery’s efficiency, capacity, and range. This can help you ensure your battery lasts longer and get more value for money.
Did you find your answer to “how long does it take to charge a Tesla?” Keep following us for more helpful resources on how to maintain your electric car.
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My name is Matthew, staying in Seattle, Washington. Electric Vehicles (Electric Cars & Electric bikes) caught my attention for the last few years and my love for electric cars and bikes is everlasting. I spend many of my weekends traveling to various places all over various cities with my electric vehicle (e-bike and electric car). Here I am sharing my expertise, experience, and invaluable information about electric cars and electric bikes. Check out more.