What EV Charger Do You Need for a 2021 Audi e-tron Sportback?
Your wall can deliver plenty of power, but the car dictates what goes into the battery. The 2021 Audi e+tron Sportback draws up to 48 amps on AC Level 2 equipment. Feeding it fewer amps slows down the refill rate. Buying anything larger than 48 amps wastes money because the onboard charger cannot accept the extra current.
The numbers
| Maximum AC charging rate | 11.0 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 | J1772 |
| Full charge on Level 2 | about 8.7 hours |
| Range added per hour (Level 2) | about 25 miles |
| Full charge on a 120 V outlet | about 67 hours |
| Range added per hour (120 V) | about 3.3 miles |
| EPA rated range | 218 miles |
| Energy for a full charge | about 95.9 kWh at the wall |
Why 48 amps and not more
The onboard charger maxes out at 11.0 kW, which equals 48 amps. Pumping more than 48 amps from a bigger supply unit yields zero speed gains because the vehicle limits the intake. Sticking to the 48-amp ceiling fills the 95.9 kWh battery in 8.7 hours. You get 25 miles of range for every hour plugged in at this rate. The EPA test protocol runs slightly slower at 22 miles per hour, pushing the full charge time to 10.0 hours.
What the install involves
You need a dedicated 60-amp breaker to supply the 48-amp load safely. A licensed electrician must pull the proper wire gauge and land it directly on the breaker. Hardwiring is mandatory here because no standard household receptacle is rated for 48 amps. Ask the electrician to verify your service panel has enough spare capacity before buying hardware.
Chargers that match this car
Energy monitoring built in. Hardwire it for the full 48 A.
Compact unit, good for tight garages.
Adjustable from 16 A to 50 A in the app, which helps if your panel is tight.
Worth having as well
Common questions
- Can I use a standard wall outlet?
- Level 1 charging works on a standard household outlet, but it adds only 3.3 miles of range per hour. Filling the battery from empty on Level 1 takes 67 hours. You want a Level 2 setup for daily convenience.
- What plug does this car take?
- The car uses a standard J1772 connector for all home AC charging. Every non-Tesla EV sold in North America through 2024 uses this exact plug. You can also use adapters for Tesla destination hardware if needed.
- Does a 50-amp charger charge faster than a 48-amp charger?
- No, because the car limits AC intake to 48 amps anyway. A 50-amp unit will throttle its output down to match the vehicle maximum. Stick to the 48-amp rating.
- What do the EPA charge times mean?
- The EPA rating estimates 22 miles of range per hour and 10.0 hours for a full tank under specific test conditions. Peak vehicle capability reaches 25 miles per hour and 8.7 hours. Real world results depend on your exact setup.
Other vehicles
Charging times derived from EPA data for the 2021 Audi e-tron Sportback. Electrical requirements follow NEC 625.41, which sizes a circuit at 125% of a continuous load. Always have a licensed electrician verify your panel.