What EV Charger Do You Need for a 2022 Tesla Model S?
You need a 48 amp Level 2 home charging setup to refill this car overnight. The onboard charger limits current intake to 48 kilowatts. That hardware ceiling dictates your home equipment choices.
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 9.9 hours |
| Range added per hour (Level 2) | about 41 miles |
| Full charge on a 120 V outlet | about 79 hours |
| Range added per hour (120 V) | about 5.1 miles |
| EPA rated range | 405 miles |
| Energy for a full charge | about 114.1 kWh at the wall |
Why 48 amps and not more
The car accepts a maximum of 48 amps, so buying a larger charger wastes money. A 60 amp breaker feeds 48 amps of continuous current safely. Going beyond 48 amps yields zero speed gains because the onboard charger rejects extra power. This rate adds 41 miles of range every hour. Empty to full takes 9.9 hours at this maximum Level 2 speed.
What the install involves
You must hardwire a 48 amp EVSE directly to the electrical panel because no household receptacle handles that load. The installation requires a 60 amp breaker and heavy copper wiring. Hire an electrician for this work to verify your service panel has the spare capacity. Code compliance protects your home from thermal overload.
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
- Can I plug this car into a standard wall outlet?
- Level 1 charging from a standard household outlet delivers 5.1 miles of range per hour. A full battery recharge takes 79 hours using this method. Most drivers upgrade to Level 2.
- What connector does the car use?
- Tesla vehicles use the NACS connector. The Tesla Wall Connector has this plug natively. A J1772 adapter ships with the car for third-party Level 2 units.
- Why does the EPA charge time show 15 hours?
- The EPA test does not always run at the car's peak AC rate. That regulatory test cycle uses lower power delivery, yielding 27 miles of range per hour.
- Do I need a 60 amp breaker for a 48 amp charger?
- Yes. Continuous duty circuits require a 125 percent safety margin under electrical codes. A 60 amp breaker matches the 48 amp continuous draw.
Other vehicles
Charging times derived from EPA data for the 2022 Tesla Model S. Electrical requirements follow NEC 625.41, which sizes a circuit at 125% of a continuous load. Always have a licensed electrician verify your panel.