--- title: "How Long Does it Take To Charge A Tesla and How Much Does it Cost?" description: "Looking for how much it costs to charge a tesla and how long it takes? Check out the Drive’s expert guide to help you with that." date: "2020-09-26" modified: "2020-10-22" authors: - name: "Jonathon Klein" job_title: "Contributor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jonathon-klein" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/cars-101/36351/how-much-does-it-cost-to-charge-a-tesla" categories: - "Cars 101" - "The Garage" tags: - "commerce" - "Electric Vehicle" - "NoAds" - "Tesla" --- # How Long Does it Take To Charge A Tesla and How Much Does it Cost? ![]() *\www.thedrive.com\* Electric vehicles (EVs) are the future - there’s no denying that. That future, one without many of the harmful environmental effects of tailpipe emissions, is largely thanks to one manufacturer: Tesla. First-time EV buyers are flocking to the California-based all-electric luxury brand as it expands its lineup from $100,000 sedans and SUVs to more affordable and pedestrian cars and pickup trucks. But with that mass exodus from fossil fuels, consumers may not know things such as how long does it take to charge your Tesla or how much it costs. Thankfully, you have *The Drive’s* crack informational team which has covered the automotive industry’s newest titan for years and knows just how long it takes and how much it’s going to cost you. Aren’t you grateful for friends like us? ![A guy looks underneath a Tesla Model S.]() *Apparently, the author thinks the charge port is underneath the Tesla. Silly author., *Jim Donnelly** ## How Long Does It Take to Charge a Tesla? Tesla’s charge times vary primarily based on the type of charger the owner is using. Here’s a brief breakdown of the types of chargers available for Tesla’s lineup and roughly how long it takes for a Tesla to charge. ### Level 1 Outlet Charger (\~3.7kW) The simplest form of EV charging, Level 1 chargers have a standard, three-prong household plug on one end and a connector on the other end that plugs into the vehicle. These chargers, which are usually portable and do not require installation by an electrician, dispense electricity at a wall outlet’s normal 120-volt rate. #### Average Charge Time: 11-30 hours ### Level 2 Charger (\~6.6kW) A handful of EV manufacturers and third-party providers offer quicker-charging 240-volt units. Residential Level 2 chargers are usually installed by an electrician and require a dedicated 40-amp circuit. Level 2 chargers can also be found in public places such as parking lots, offices, and other commercial locations. #### Average Charge Time: 4-6 hours ### Fast Charger (\~150-250kW) The Tesla Supercharger network uses a proprietary 480V direct-current system. Tesla’s Supercharger network only works with Tesla vehicles. #### Average Charge Time: 40 minutes-1 hour ![A Tesla Model X with its Falcon doors up in the billionaire position.]() *A Tesla Model X with its Falcon doors up in the billionaire position., *Tesla** ## How Long Does Each Tesla Model Take to Charge? It’s also helpful to understand that each Tesla model has its own charge-time lengths. Here’s a rundown of those individual charge times. ### Model 3 Tesla’s Model 3 is its attempt at a mass-market compact sedan. #### Level 1 Charger: 14-21 hours #### Level 2 Charger: 7-11 hours #### Level 3 Charger: 20 mins ### Model Y Tesla’s Model Y is its attempt at a mass-market compact crossover. #### Level 1 Charger: 14-21 hours #### Level 2 Charger: 7-11 hours #### Level 3 Charger: 20 mins ### Model X Tesla’s Model X is the brand’s mid-size luxury SUV. #### Level 1 Charger: 27 hours #### Level 2 Charger: 15 hours #### Level 3 Charger: 30 minutes ### Model S Tesla’s Model S is the brand’s mid-size luxury sedan. **Level 1 Charger: 27 hours** **Level 2 Charger: 15 hours** **Level 3 Charger: 30 minutes** ![Tesla's controversial Cybertruck]() *Tesla's controversial Cybertruck, *Tesla** ## Future Tesla Vehicles Though you can make deposits for the upcoming Cybertruck pickup, Roadster 2.0 sports car, and full-size semi-truck, you can’t physically touch any of them yet. Nor is it known what sort of charge times each will feature. However, using what we do know about each, we can estimate each vehicle’s charge time. We used consumer-supplied charge times of the above models, as well as Tesla-supplied estimates to estimate the charge times. These will obviously depend greatly on the finished products, so take this with a grain of salt. ### CyberTruck Tesla’s upcoming [Cybertruck]() is the brand’s attempt at an electric pickup. #### Level 1 Charger: 20-27 hours (estimate) #### Level 2 Charger: 10-15 hours (estimate) #### Level 3 Charger: 30-50 minutes (estimate) ### Roadster 2.0 The very first Tesla was the Roadster. The [Roadster 2.0]() is the upcoming next generation. #### Level 1 Charger: 20-27 hours (estimate) #### Level 2 Charger: 10-15 hours (estimate) #### Level 3 Charger: 30-50 minutes (estimate) ### Semi [Tesla’s Semi]() is the brand’s forthcoming semi tractor-trailer meant to disrupt the long-haul trucking industry. #### Level 3 Charger: 30-50 minutes (estimate) ![Tesla Model 3]() *Tesla Model 3, *Tesla** ## FAQs About Charging a Tesla ## What Are The Variables That Affect Charge Speed? Although conventional gasoline pumps have a predetermined flow rate, which can be somewhat affected by the number of cars fueling up, a charger’s rate is subject to a great many more variables that affect how quickly its EV juice is dispensed. Here are some variables that affect an electric car’s charge speed: ### Ambient Temperature Colder temperatures affect a battery’s electrochemical reactions, thus charge speeds will slow as the mercury drops. Likewise, range is affected negatively by cold weather. ### Charger Type The type of charger (see above) determines whether you’re in for a quick pit-stop or a long lunch. ### Number of EVs Concurrently Charging at a Station Generally, the more [EVs connected]() to a charging station the slower the charge rate. ### Vehicle’s Battery Size EVs are offered with a variety of battery sizes; the capacity of an EV’s battery (measured in kilowatt-hours) determines how quickly it charges. For example, the Tesla Model S and Model X are available with a high-capacity 100-kWh battery, while the base-model Hyundai Kona’s battery is 39.2 kWh. ### Vehicle’s Battery Depletion A fully depleted battery will charge slower than a half-full battery. To ensure a battery’s longevity, an EV’s battery management system will retard the flow to protect the battery. ### Time of Day Depending on where you live, power delivery could be affected by the time of day you charge your EV. Peak usage hours may slow a charger’s rate as more electricity is drawn from the grid. ## Featured Products [Siemens VersiCharge VC30GRYU]() [Zencar Level 1 with NEMA 5-15 Plug]() [Juicebox Pro40 Smart EV Charger]() *Got a question? Got a pro tip? Send us a note: guidesandgear@thedrive.com* ## Author Jonathon is the former Managing Editor for Commerce at The Drive and has been writing about cars and motorcycles for over a decade, but he's been known to scribble pretty things about adoption, tattoos, life, gear, adventures, food, technology, nature, and more. ### Author social links [Instagram]()