What EV Charger Do You Need for a 2024 Tesla Model S Plaid?
Forty-eight amps is the magic number for this car. You need a 60-amp circuit to push that much juice. A standard Level 2 setup fills the 113.0 kWh battery pack in 9.8 hours. Skip the 48-amp gear and you leave charging speed on the table.
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 9.8 hours |
| Range added per hour (Level 2) | about 37 miles |
| Full charge on a 120 V outlet | about 78 hours |
| Range added per hour (120 V) | about 4.6 miles |
| EPA rated range | 359 miles |
| Energy for a full charge | about 113.0 kWh at the wall |
Why 48 amps and not more
The onboard charger maxes out at 48 amps. Buying a larger EVSE does nothing for charge speed because the car regulates the intake. Pushing 48 amps delivers 37 miles of range every hour you stay plugged in. Lower amperage equipment slows the refill down. Stick to the 48-amp recommendation to replenish the 359 miles of total range overnight without interruption.
What the install involves
A 48-amp continuous load requires a 60-amp breaker and heavy-gauge copper wiring. No household receptacle handles 48 amps safely, meaning the unit must be hardwired directly into the electrical supply. Hire a licensed electrician for this work. They pull the permits, size the wire properly, and tie everything into your main panel according to local building codes.
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 on a standard household outlet takes 78 hours to reach full capacity. You only get 4.6 miles of range per hour this way. Install a Level 2 setup instead.
- What connector does the car use?
- Tesla vehicles use the NACS connector. The Tesla Wall Connector has this plug natively. Third-party Level 2 units require the J1772 adapter that ships with the car.
- Why does the EPA charge time differ from the max rate?
- The EPA rated Level 2 charge time is 15.0 hours at 24 miles of range per hour. Federal testing protocols do not always run equipment at the absolute peak AC rate the vehicle accepts.
- What happens if I buy a 50-amp or 80-amp charger?
- The vehicle draws 48 amps at most because of its internal hardware limits. Extra capacity on the charger goes unused. Buy the 48-amp unit.
Other vehicles
Charging times derived from EPA data for the 2024 Tesla Model S Plaid (covering 2 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.