What EV Charger Do You Need for a 2023 Tesla Model S?
Forty-eight amps. That is the maximum AC draw for the 2023 Tesla Model S. You need a 60-amp circuit to feed this hardware. Plan on hiring an electrician.
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 48 amps at 11.5 kilowatts through its onboard charger. Pushing past 48 amps does nothing because the vehicle limits the intake anyway. Buying a larger charger wastes money. A 48-amp EVSE refills the 114.1 kWh battery in 9.9 hours. You get 41 miles of range for every hour plugged into Level 2 equipment.
What the install involves
A 48-amp continuous load requires a 60-amp breaker to prevent thermal trips. No household wall outlet handles 48 amps safely, so the equipment must be hardwired. Run heavy-gauge copper wire from the main panel to the garage wall. Hire a licensed electrician for this work.
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?
- Yes, but Level 1 charging delivers 5.1 miles of range per hour. A full recharge takes 79 hours. Treat a standard outlet as an emergency backup.
- Why does the EPA charge time show 15 hours?
- The EPA test does not run at the car's peak AC rate, which accounts for the longer duration. Real-world Level 2 charging takes 9.9 hours at maximum capacity.
- What connector does the car use?
- The vehicle uses a NACS connector. Tesla's Wall Connector connects natively, and a J1772 adapter ships with the car for third-party hardware.
- Do I need a hardwired unit or a plug-in unit?
- A 48-amp EVSE must be hardwired because no household receptacle is rated for that load. Hardwiring eliminates plug degradation over years of heavy use.
Other vehicles
Charging times derived from EPA data for the 2023 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.