How fast can you charge a Tesla with NEMA 14-50?
With rising fuel costs, owning an electric car is getting more and more attractive to those who still drive cars with old, dirty, internal combustion engines.
Having the luxury of charging your car at home not only saves you time and money, but switching to an EV is also an eco-conscious move to save our environment.
As an EV owner, you will have plenty of charging options, but home charging will still be your top choice.
The NEMA 14-50 plug is a 240-volt plug with 50 amps of maximum amperage, which is needed for a 40-amp home EV charging station to be safely used.
An average mobile connector often has this type of plug, meaning it can be directly plugged into an outlet without needing hardwired installation.
For safety reasons, only 80% of its maximum power is allowed for continuous use. So, your charger shouldn't produce more than 40 amps when plugged into a 50 amp circuit.
What is a NEMA 14-50 outlet for EV?
As the name suggests, the NEMA 14-50 outlet can provide up to a maximum of 50 amps of power, which is suitable for charging electric cars at home.
It has four holes: two hots, a ground, and the fourth hole for the neutral wire at the bottom under the two hots.
This is the same outlet you use for high-powered electrical appliances like electric stoves.
Compared to the NEMA 6-50, the NEMA 14-50 outlet is the more popular and more versatile option, thanks to its wide availability and ability to handle higher power devices.
With the right Level 2 EV charger, electric vehicles can be fully-charged in under 6 hours.
Why do you need to install a NEMA 14-50 outlet for an EV charger?
The NEMA 14-50 plug is the standard for all electric cars sold in North America. Hence, the need for NEMA 14-50 outlets.
While Tesla has its own proprietary chargers, the Tesla Wall connector is compatible with the NEMA 14-50 outlets.
And it remains the fastest home charging solution for Tesla owners.
At least until April of 2022, the purchase of a Tesla model includes a mobile connector and three adapters: one for a standard wall outlet (NEMA 5-15), one for a 240-volt (40 amps) wall outlet home charger (the NEMA 14-50), and one for public charging stations (except the Tesla Supercharger network).
NEMA 5-15 is also known as Level 1 charging, which offers a measly 3 miles of range per hour.
NEMA 14-50 is what Tesla recommends to take full advantage of a faster charging speed at home.
How long does it take to charge a Tesla?
To give you an idea about the NEMA 14-50 Tesla charge rate, here's how long each Tesla model takes to charge:
Tesla Model 3
This model is arguably Tesla's best-selling EV. There are three versions of this car available in the market right now:
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Performance
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Long Range
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Standard Range Plus
The Standard Range Plus has 263 miles of range, while the Performance and Long Range have a 322-mile range.
If you drive within the national average of 30 miles a day, your Tesla Model 3 will have enough battery charge in 10 hours with a NEMA 5-15 charger, one hour with a NEMA 14-50 charger, and 40 minutes with a Wall Connector.
This means a full charge is possible when you charge overnight using a NEMA 14-50 plug.
Tesla Model S
This model has one of the longest ranges in the market today. It also has three variants:
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Performance
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Long Range
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Plaid
Each variant has more than 300 miles of range, with Performance having a 387 miles range, the Long Range having a 402 miles range, and the Plaid Model S Tri-Motor All-Wheel Drive has over 520 miles.
Here's how fast it will take to charge each model from zero to full in your own home:
Tesla Model X
The Tesla Model X has two versions:
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Model X Performance
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Model X Long Range
The Long Range version has 371 miles of range, while the Performance version has 341 miles.
Using a NEMA 5-15 plug, it will take almost 15 hours to fully charge your Tesla.
In comparison, NEMA 14-50 chargers significantly cut the charge time to just 1.5 hours, while the Wall connector can fill up your battery in an hour.
Tesla Model Y
The Tesla Model Y comes in three versions:
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Standard Range rear-wheel drive
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Long Range
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Performance
The Standard Range RWD has 244 miles of range. The Long Range version has a range of 326 miles, while the Performance version has 303 miles.
As seen on the table, fully charging your Model Y using a NEMA 5-15 charger will take about 5 days. In comparison, a NEMA 14-50 charger will only take roughly 12 hours, while a Wall Connector will take less than 6 hours.
Can you charge a Tesla with a NEMA 14-50 outlet?
Yes, you can use a NEMA 14-50 outlet to charge a Tesla.
The car manufacturer launched a Wall Connector with a NEMA 14-50 plug that you can directly plug into a corresponding outlet.
An earlier version of the same charger previously had to be installed and hardwired to your home by a licensed electrician.
The Tesla Mobile Connector, which is a road trip must-have, ships with both a NEMA 5-15 adapter for your standard 120-volt outlet and a NEMA 14-50 adapter.
How fast does NEMA 14-50 charge a Tesla?
In most cases, Tesla models can fully charge overnight. It will still depend on the outlet you use.
Tesla recommends a NEMA 14-50. That's a 240-volt outlet on a 50-amp circuit breaker.
The Wall Connector is still the fastest home charging solution you have, giving up to 44 miles of range per hour depending on the vehicle and amperage.
FAQs
How fast does a 50 amp charge a Tesla?
A 240-volt outlet on a 50 amp circuit breaker can charge a Tesla battery completely in 10 hours (for the Model S) to 12 hours (for the Model Y long range).
Can I charge a Tesla with NEMA 14-30?
Yes, you can charge a Tesla with a NEMA 14-30 EV charger. It will provide lesser power than the NEMA 14-50 since it only has a maximum amperage of 30 amps.
Does Tesla use a NEMA 14-50?
Yes, Tesla launched a Wall Connector with a NEMA 14-50 plug that you can directly plug into a corresponding outlet. The Tesla Mobile Connector also ships with both a NEMA 5-15 adapter for your standard 120-volt outlet and a NEMA 14-50 adapter.
How fast does a Tesla charge with a NEMA 14-50?
Installed with a 50 amp circuit breaker, a NEMA 14-50 outlet enables a recharge rate of about 37 kilometers per hour.
How many amps does a NEMA 14-50 charge?
As the name suggests, the NEMA 14-50 outlet can provide up to a maximum of 50 amps of power, which is suitable for charging electric cars at home.