Charging Instructions

Which Charger for Tesla Model 3/Y and How Fast Will It Charge?

Home Charging (AC)

What Do We Need to Know?

When choosing a charger for an electric vehicle or a Plug-In hybrid, we consider two factors:
- Power Source: For example, a standard power socket or a high-power socket.
- On-Board Charger: Built into the car, it allows us to transfer energy from the power source to our battery. We need to know how much maximum power the charger can handle and how many phases it uses.

Tesla Model 3/Y has a maximum charging power of 11kW.

Model:
- Maximum Charging Power Based on Vehicle Capabilities

Model	Maximum power	Maximum Power Per Phase
Tesla 3	11kW	L1 - 32A  L2 - 16A  L3 - 16A
Tesla Y	11kW	L1 - 32A L2 - 16A L3 - 16A

Example 1:

- Power Source: We have access to a 400V high-power socket (CEE16A5P or CEE32A5P)
- Car: Tesla 3 Long Range

The Tesla 3 Long Range has an on-board charger capable of transferring 11kW across 3 phases and has a total battery capacity of 75kWh.

Formula to Determine the Maximum Power of the Charger:
- Voltage x Current (Amps) x Number of Phases

230V x 16A x 3 = 11,040 W = 11.04kW ≈ 11kW

Formula for Charging Time:
- Time = Capacity to Be Filled / Charging Power

Time = 75 kWh / 11 kW = 6 hours 48 minutes

Answer: In this case, the best charger for the Tesla 3 Long Range is an 11kW charger, which will charge the car in under 7 hours.

Recommended Charger: Q11, available with a high-power plug or a standard socket - click here.

Example 2:

- Power Source: We have access to a standard power socket (230V)
- Car: Tesla 3 Long Range

Our power source can deliver a maximum of 230V 16A from one phase, meaning we can't utilize the maximum power of the on-board charger in the Tesla 3 Long Range.

230V x 16A x 1 = 3,680 W ≈ 3.7 kWh

75kWh / 3.7kWh = ≈ 20 hours

Answer: In this case, we can charge the Tesla at a maximum speed of about 3.7kWh, which will take around 20 hours.

Recommended Charger: Q37 - click here.

Example 3:

- Power Source: We have access to a socket with high power of 32A, but it's single-phase. For example, we have a photovoltaic system with a single-phase inverter or a camping socket.
- Car: Tesla 3 Long Range

Tesla allows charging at 32A, but only from one phase (L1).

230V x 32A x 1 = 7,360 W ≈ 7.4kW

75kWh / 7.4kWh = 10 hours

Answer: In this case, we can charge the Tesla at a maximum speed of 7.4kW, which will take about 10 hours.

Recommended Charger: Q74 - click here.

Fast Charging at DC Charging Stations

Tesla owners pay extra for charging above 80% at selected stations since free lifetime Supercharging can now be transferred to Model Y - Notebookcheck.pl. The most popular way to charge the car during travel is at DC fast-charging stations. They allow much faster charging, thereby increasing our range during a short break. Notably, the Tesla Supercharger offers power from 125kW to even 350kW (in the V4 version), allowing us to charge the car from 10% to 90% in about 20 minutes! (Currently available models 3 and Y can charge at a maximum speed of 250kW).

At this level of power, additional conditions become important, including:
- Ambient Temperature and Battery Preparation for Charging: Your car will automatically prepare the battery optimally for the charging process. To ensure this happens, make sure your car's navigation indicates the charging station as a waypoint or destination.
- Charging Curve: It’s normal for the first and last 10% to deviate significantly from the maximum capabilities of both the charging station and your Tesla. It's not uncommon for the last 10% of the charging process to be around 50 kW or less. Your car controls the safe and healthy charging intensity for your battery.

For this reason, the suggested (and fastest) charging range is from 10% to 90%.

How to Properly Connect the Charger?

Opening the Charging Port
The charging port is located on the left side of the Model 3/Y vehicle under a flap that is part of the rear light assembly (see photo). Park the Tesla to ensure the charging cable can easily and safely reach the charging port.

You can also open the flap using any of the following methods:
- On the touchscreen, tap Controls, then tap the charging port icon (lightning bolt icon).
- On the touchscreen, go to Controls > Charging > Open Charge Port.
- Press the charge port flap or its lower part when the Model 3 is unlocked or an authenticated phone is nearby.

Connecting

Align the charger with the port and insert it into the port precisely. Once the charger is correctly connected, charging will begin automatically when the Model 3/Y:
- Engages the latch holding the charger;
- Engages park mode (if another mode was on);
- Cools or heats the battery as needed. If the battery requires cooling or heating, charging may start with a noticeable delay.

Tesla Mobile App - What Do We Gain From It?

In the Tesla app, you can schedule charging, start or stop charging, set the desired charge percentage, adjust the power during charging, and track the charging history. To track the charging history, select "Charging Statistics." You can view the monthly or yearly charging history of your vehicle, which includes the amount of charged energy (in kWh) and the estimated cost of charging the vehicle. To view the total amount of charged energy and the cost of charging on a specific day, tap and hold that day on the graph. You can also view the percentage analysis of the total charge based on the selected type of charging location.