What EV Charger Do You Need for a 2020 Tesla Model Y?
Your home panel might push plenty of current, but your car only takes what its onboard charger allows. This 2020 Tesla Model Y accepts up to 48 amps of Level 2 charging. Feeding it anything larger won't speed things up.
The numbers
| Maximum AC charging rate | 11.5 kW (48 A) |
|---|---|
| Charger size to buy | 48 A |
| Circuit breaker required | 60 A |
| Outlet / connection | hardwired (a 48 A EVSE must be hardwired -- no household receptacle is rated for it) |
| Charge port | NACS |
| Full charge on Level 2 | about 7.7 hours |
| Range added per hour (Level 2) | about 41 miles |
| Full charge on a 120 V outlet | about 61 hours |
| Range added per hour (120 V) | about 5.2 miles |
| EPA rated range | 316 miles |
| Energy for a full charge | about 88.0 kWh at the wall |
Why 48 amps and not more
Pairing this vehicle with a 48 amp EVSE hits the limit of the internal hardware. Pushing more amperage from the supply side gets ignored by the car. A 48 amp setup delivers 41 miles of range per hour. A full recharge takes 7.7 hours. The EPA test logs a slower rate of 32 miles per hour because standard federal test cycles do not run at the car's peak AC rate.
What the install involves
You need a 60 amp breaker to feed a 48 amp continuous load safely. The connection must be hardwired directly to the charger because no standard household receptacle handles 48 amps. Copper wire sizing depends on the run length from your main panel. Hire a licensed electrician to pull the permit, run the wire, and mount the unit.
Chargers that match this car
Your car has a NACS port. The NACS units below plug straight in; any J1772 unit works with the adapter supplied with the car.
Native NACS plug, no adapter needed.
Dual plug: works with NACS and J1772 cars.
Tesla's own unit. Native NACS, hardwire only.
Worth having as well
Common questions
- What connector does this car use?
- It uses a NACS connector. Tesla's Wall Connector is native, and a J1772 adapter ships with the car for third-party Level 2 units.
- Can I use a standard wall outlet?
- You can, but Level 1 charging is painfully slow. It yields 5.2 miles of range per hour and takes 61 hours for a full charge.
- Why does the EPA charge time differ from the max rate?
- The EPA test does not always run at the car's peak AC rate. That is why the agency logs 10.0 hours instead of the maximum 7.7 hours.
- What happens if I buy a 50 amp or 80 amp charger?
- The car caps the draw at 48 amps anyway. Extra charger capacity goes unused.
Other vehicles
Charging times derived from EPA data for the 2020 Tesla Model Y (covering 3 EPA trim listings). Electrical requirements follow NEC 625.41, which sizes a circuit at 125% of a continuous load. Always have a licensed electrician verify your panel.