How long does it take to charge a Tesla Model S?

About 12h 59m from 10% to 100% on a typical 7.7 kW home Level 2 charger, or 37m at peak DC fast charging (250 kW). Level 1 (standard 120 V outlet) takes 71h 26m.

What is the max charging rate for a Tesla Model S?

AC: 11.5 kW on-board limit. DC fast charging: 250 kW peak.

How Long to Charge a Tesla Model S

Charging a Tesla Model S (100 kWh battery) from 10% to 100% takes about 12h 59m on a typical 7.7 kW home Level 2 charger — or just 37m on a DC fast charger.

Level 1 (1.4 kW wall outlet)71h 26m

Level 2 home (7.7 kW)12h 59m

DC fast charge (250 kW peak)37m

All times above are for 10% → 100%. Tesla Model S accepts up to 11.5 kW AC and 250 kW DC peak.

Detailed charging scenarios

Charger	0 → 80%	20 → 80%	10 → 100%
Level 1 — 120 V outlet (1.4 kW)	63h 30m	47h 37m	71h 26m
Level 2 home — 240 V 32 A (7.7 kW)	11h 33m	8h 39m	12h 59m
Level 2 max — 240 V 48 A (11.5 kW)	7h 44m	5h 48m	8h 42m
DC fast charge — 50 kW	2h 00m	1h 30m	3h 05m
DC fast charge — 150 kW	40m	30m	1h 02m
DC fast charge — 250 kW (max for this car)	24m	18m	37m

How we calculated this

The Tesla Model S has a 100 kWh usable battery, an 11.5 kW on-board AC charger, and a 250 kW peak DC charging rate.

For AC charging (Level 1 and Level 2), actual rate is the lesser of the charger’s output and the car’s on-board AC limit. We assume ~10% loss between AC input and the battery.

For DC fast charging, real-world rate tapers above ~80% state of charge to protect the battery. We model 0–80% at 80% of peak rate, and 80–100% at 30% of peak — consistent with published curves from Tesla, Hyundai/Kia, Ford, and Rivian. This is why "0 to 80%" is the marketing number for DCFC: filling the last 20% takes nearly as long as the first 80%.

FAQ

Why is DC fast charge so much faster than Level 2?

Level 2 home charging uses your home’s 240 V circuit, capped at 11.5 kW (and at the car’s on-board AC charger — for the Tesla Model S, that’s 11.5 kW). DC fast chargers bypass the on-board charger and send DC current directly to the battery at up to 250 kW — about 21× faster.

Should I always charge to 100%?

For lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, yes. For nickel-based chemistries (most non-LFP EVs), keeping the daily charge limit at 80–90% extends battery life noticeably. Only charge to 100% before long trips.

Is Level 1 charging useful?

Only if you drive less than ~40 miles/day. Level 1 adds about 4–5 miles of range per hour for the Tesla Model S — enough for a short commute if you plug in every night, but inadequate for higher daily mileage.