What EV Charger Do You Need for a 2021 Audi e-tron?
Wiring a home charging station for the 2021 Audi e-tron means pulling a heavy circuit and landing it on a 60 amp breaker. You need a 48 amp Level 2 setup to match the vehicle onboard charger. An electrician must handle this work because no household receptacle is rated for a 48 amp draw.
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 8.8 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 | 222 miles |
| Energy for a full charge | about 96.4 kWh at the wall |
Why 48 amps and not more
The vehicle accepts a maximum of 48 amps of alternating current through its J1772 connector. Feeding it anything larger will not speed up the charge because the onboard charger caps the intake at 11.0 kilowatts. A 48 amp supply delivers 25 miles of range per hour of charging. Hooking up a smaller unit leaves potential speed on the table, extending your overnight wait time unnecessarily. The 96.4 kilowatt hour battery pack goes from empty to full in 8.8 hours at this rate.
What the install involves
Your electrician has to hardwire the charging unit directly to the electrical panel. A 48 amp charger requires a dedicated 60 amp breaker to operate safely under continuous load rules. Ask the electrician to inspect your main panel for spare capacity before buying hardware. Running copper wire through conduit to your garage wall completes the physical install. Once wired, the station plugs right into the car using the J1772 plug.
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?
- No household receptacle handles 48 amps. You need a hardwired connection installed by an electrician.
- How long does a full charge take?
- The battery reaches capacity in 8.8 hours at the maximum rate of 48 amps. The EPA test estimates 10.0 hours under different testing conditions.
- What connector does this car use?
- Every non-Tesla EV sold in North America through 2024 uses the J1772 connector for AC Level 2 charging. You plug it straight into the driver side port.
- Will Level 1 charging work?
- Level 1 works if you only drive a few miles a day, but it takes 67 hours to fill the pack from empty. Stick to Level 2 for normal daily driving.
Other vehicles
Charging times derived from EPA data for the 2021 Audi e-tron. Electrical requirements follow NEC 625.41, which sizes a circuit at 125% of a continuous load. Always have a licensed electrician verify your panel.