There are two major roadblocks in the way of electric cars becoming popular. One is the huge amount of time it takes to charge an electric car. The second one is the unavailability of the charging infrastructure. Tesla seems to be working on both of these problems.
Tesla owns and operates the largest global network of fast EV charging stations. There are more than 40,000 Tesla superchargers in operation currently. As this number keeps increasing, it will become more and more convenient for Tesla owners to charge their vehicles.
Tesla is the pioneer in integrating fast charging technology in electric cars. Charging your Tesla can take between 35 minutes and 35 hours. It depends upon various factors, such as the type of charging station and battery size. We will discuss these factors later in the article.
So, let’s try and accurately answer the question of how long does it take to charge the Tesla.
How Long Does it Take to Charge Different Tesla Models?
Tesla has launched four models so far. Each model is laced with a different battery pack. However, other factors, such as charging tech, are more or less similar. Thus it would mainly come down to the type of charging station you’re using.
Read: How Much Does it Cost to Charge a Tesla?
Tesla Model S
Model S is the premium model of Tesla. It has a huge battery pack of about 100 kWh. With this huge battery pack, Tesla Model S can give an estimated driving range of 405 miles. The performance trims are powered by powerful motors churning out 1,020 hp. As far as the charging goes, the Tesla Model S is laced with fast charging capabilities.
Model S is officially the fastest-charging Tesla Model. The maximum power for DC fast charging is set at 250 kW for Model S. At this rate, Model S can add a range of 13 miles every minute. It means that while you grab a sandwich from your favorite Subway, your Model S will be ready to go another 200 miles in 15 minutes.
Similarly, if you choose AC power to charge your Tesla, the maximum AC power output has been capped at 16.5 kW. While most commercial charging stations offer a maximum power output of up to 11 kW, it is safe to assume this is a standard for level-II charging stations.
Now, let’s see the charging time at charging stations of different levels.
Please note that we assume that battery has been drained down to 10% in each case.
| How Long Does it Take to Charge the Tesla Model S? | |
| Charging Time at Level-I Charging Station (3 kW) | 28 hours |
| Charging Time at Level-II Charging Station (11 kW) | 8 hours |
| Charging Time at Level-III Charging Station (250 kW) | 30 minutes |
Tesla Model X
Next up is the Model X. It is undoubtedly one of the most premium offerings by Tesla. It uses the same battery pack as the Model S of Tesla. With a 100 kWh battery pack, Model X has a driving range of up to 350 miles on a single charge.
The charging time of Model X is somewhat similar to the Model S. Model S is officially the fastest-charging Tesla, whereas Model X is in the second spot. At a Tesla Supercharger, you can add a range of 12 miles per minute. This means the full range will be replenished in about 30 minutes at a DC fast charging station.
If you were to charge your Model X at home, it would take no less than 33 hours to fully charge the battery. This calculation is done considering the maximum power output of 3 kW.
You can opt for a Tesla home wall connector to increase the speed of charging up to 44 miles per hour instead of 11 miles an hour for a normal home socket. At 44 miles per hour, the full range of Model X can be regained in 8 hours.
Now, let’s see the charging time at charging stations of different levels.
Please note that we assume that the battery has been drained down to 10% in each case.
| How Long Does it Take to Charge the Tesla Model X? | |
| Charging Time at Level-I Charging Station (3 kW) | 30 hours |
| Charging Time at Level-II Charging Station (11 kW) | 8 hours |
| Charging Time at Level-III Charging Station (250 kW) | 30 minutes |
Tesla Model 3
I like to call Model 3 the Tesla of a poor man. Despite being offered at an affordable price, Model 3 is not an inch behind other models of Tesla. The long-range trim of Model 3 has an estimated driving range of 358 miles. This is phenomenal for a car priced at $50,000.
Even model 3 is laced with fast charging capability. In fact, the charging characteristics of Model 3 are exactly similar to the premium Tesla Model X. It can also regain a range of up to 12 miles every minute, which means a total charging time of 30 minutes at a Tesla supercharger.
The battery pack of the Tesla Model 3 is slightly smaller than Model S and X. The capacity of the lithium battery pack of Model 3 is 80.5 kWh instead of 100 kWh. Even with a smaller battery pack, Model 3 has a longer range. It is due to the better efficiency of cells used in the battery.
Now, let’s see the charging time at charging stations of different levels.
Please note that we assume that the battery has been drained down to 10% in each case.
| How Long Does it Take to Charge the Tesla Model 3? | |
| Charging Time at Level-I Charging Station (3 kW) | 30 hours |
| Charging Time at Level-II Charging Station (11 kW) | 8.5 hours |
| Charging Time at Level-III Charging Station (250 kW) | 32 minutes |
Tesla Model Y
Model Y has the shortest range among all Tesla models. It can go as far as 330 miles on a single charge. It has mighty powerful motors that can blast the 0 to 60 mph scale in 3.6 seconds.
The charging stats of Model Y are very close to those of Model 3. Even the capacity of the battery pack is the same at 80.5 kWh. Model Y can regain a range of 11 miles per minute at a Tesla Supercharger. This means it isn’t far behind other models.
Now, let’s see the charging time at charging stations of different levels.
Please note that we assume the battery has been drained down to 10% in each case.
| How Long Does it Take to Charge the Tesla Model Y? | |
| Charging Time at Level-I Charging Station (3 kW) | 30 hours |
| Charging Time at Level-II Charging Station (11 kW) | 9 hours |
| Charging Time at Level-III Charging Station (250 kW) | 27 minutes |
Factors Affecting the Charging Time of a Tesla
We’ve seen the charging time for each Tesla model in detail. Now let’s try and understand the factors that affect the charging time of a Tesla.
Type of the Charging Station
You can choose between three different types of charging stations. Your home’s regular 110 V charging socket is designated as a level-I charging station. It is the slowest option. Next is the commercial charging option from 7 kW to 20 kW. This is 3 to 5 times faster than home.
Finally, we have DC fast charging stations. Here the peak output power is 100 to 250 kW. This is by far the fastest method to charge your Tesla.
Battery Size
The larger battery pack would logically take more amount of time to get charged. For example, a 100 kWh battery pack would take longer than an 82 kWh battery.
Read: Electric Vehicle Battery Tesla
Existing Charging Level
Sometimes you charge your battery with 10% intact battery and sometimes with 50% charging. So, this would also impact the charging time.
Allowable Peak Power Output
The peak power output of Model 3 and Y is 11 kW for AC charging. However, for Model S and X is 16.5 kW. This means faster charging at level-I and II charging stations. For DC fast charging, all Tesla Models are rated at 250 kW.
Final Word, How Long Does it Take to Charge the Tesla?
In this article, we saw how Tesla is making way for the future of electric cars by reducing the charging times. You can charge your Tesla model at a fast charging station in 30 to 35 minutes. Similarly, it takes 8 to 9 hours to fully recharge your Tesla at a level-II charging station.
There are multiple solutions available to charge your Tesla at the house. On a regular home socket, it takes somewhere between 30 and 35 hours to recharge the batteries of your Tesla. But you can greatly reduce this time either by upgrading the wall connectors or the charging cables.
Many EV charging station contractors offer the installation of a level-II rapid charging station at your home. It will cost you around $2,000. But if you are going to drive an electric car, a suitable charging station is a necessity. So, it is worth spending the money.
We hope this article was helpful and you found the detailed answer to how long does it take to charge the Tesla. We would like to know the charging time on various charging stations for your Teslas. Do let us know in the comments below.
