2021 Tesla Model 3 Battery Charge Time
It can take anywhere from 30 minutes to five days to fully charge a 2021 Tesla Model 3’s battery. Find out how to unlock the fastest charging speeds!
Written by R.E. Fulton
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
The fastest way to charge the battery on a 2021 Tesla Model 3 is with a 250 kW public Tesla Supercharger, which can charge at a rate of 175 miles of range in just 15 minutes. But at-home charging could take as long as five days depending on your model and charging setup.
Calculating charging times is an important—and often annoying—part of electric car ownership. If you own a Tesla Model 3, charge anxiety is already a part of your life. But if you’re still considering a Tesla purchase, it’s important to understand your charging options and how they’ll affect charge rates for the 2021 Model 3.
Here to help you do that is
Jerry
, the trusted car insurance
comparison app that helps owners save on their Tesla Model 3 insurance cost
. We’ll go over all the possible charging methods for the 2021 Model 3 from slowest to fastest and compare the benefits and drawbacks of each. How long does a 2021 Tesla Model 3 take to charge?
The short answer: between 30 minutes and five days.
The long answer: your Tesla Model 3’s charging time will depend on which
trim level
you own and what type of charger you use. The battery size and maximum driving range of the 2021 Model 3 varies between trim levels, from the 54 kWh battery and 263-mile range of the Standard Range Plus RWD to the Long Range’s 82 kWH and 353 miles. The top-of-the-line Performance model can go 315 miles on a single charge.Here are the average charge times for the three 2021 Model 3 versions:
- Standard Range Plus (263-mile range): 20 minutes to 3.6 days
- Long Range (353-mile range): 30 minutes to 4.9 days
- Performance (315-mile range): 25 minutes to 4.4 days
The smaller the car battery, the less time it takes to charge—but the type of charger you use also matters. From public Tesla supercharger stations to basic household outlets, there are a number of different ways to charge a Model 3. Some are considerably faster than others, which is why there’s such a big range in charging times for each model.
Ready to compare charging methods and speeds? Let’s break it down.
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At-home charging speeds for a 2021 Tesla Model 3
The most basic home charging method for a 2021 Tesla Model 3 is simply plugging the car into a standard three-pronged household outlet. A NEMA 5-15 charger, which plugs into a regular 120-volt outlet, is standard equipment with every Tesla—but this is also the slowest charging method.
Using a 120-volt outlet (known in EV charging terms as a Level 1 charger), the 2021 Model 3 can charge at a rate of 3 miles of range per hour of charging time. In other words, it would take the 2021 Model 3 Long Range nearly five full days to reach a full charge on a regular outlet.
If you don’t want your Tesla out of commission for the better part of a week, you can purchase a NEMA 14-50 adapter, which allows you to plug the Tesla into a 240-volt outlet. These aren’t as common, but your washing machine or dryer likely plugs into one. If you have this type of plug in your garage, you can charge the Model 3 on it at a rate of 30 miles per hour, bringing the car up to a full charge in nine to 12 hours. This is considered a Level 2 home charger.
For a slightly faster—and much more convenient—home charger, you can purchase a Tesla
Wall Connector
, which charges at a rate of about 44 miles per hour. Depending on the size of your Model 3’s battery pack, this Level 2 charger can charge it fully in as little as six hours. That’s plenty for most drivers (unless you’ve got an unusually long daily commute!) but it costs $500 to install and you’ll need to have it done by a qualified Tesla electrician.Home charging method | 2021 Model 3 Standard Range Plus charge time | 2021 Model 3 Long Range charge time | 2021 Model 3 Performance charge time |
|---|---|---|---|
120-volt outlet (Level 1) | 3.6 days | 4.9 days | 4.4 days |
240-volt outlet w/NEMA adapter (Level 2) | 8.8 hours | 11.7 hours | 10.5 hours |
Wall Connector (Level 2) | 6.0 hours | 8.0 hours | 7.2 hours |
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Public charging speeds for a 2021 Tesla Model 3
While a Tesla Wall Connector is the gold standard for at-home fast charging, you can only access true fast charging at a public charging point. These fall into a few categories: public Level 2 stations, public DC fast charging stations (Level 3), and Tesla superchargers.
Charge times at a public Level 2 station will be comparable to your home Wall Connector or 240-volt outlet. You can expect to add between 30 and 44 miles of range per hour, with total charge times varying based on battery capacity and range.
But things change significantly when you move to DC fast charging, which uses direct current to enable rapid charging functionality. Compared to Level 1 and 2 AC chargers, which generally charge at a rate of 7.4 to 11 kW, rapid charging stations can reach a rate of 150 kW or higher. They take your battery from 20% charge to 80% in as little as 20 minutes.
Then there’s the Tesla Supercharger network. Tesla’s superchargers are proprietary Level 3 DC fast chargers located across the country in public places like gas stations, rest stops, shopping plazas, and parking garages. These chargers max out at an eye-popping rate of 250 kW and can add up to 175 miles of range in 15 minutes.
You can locate a station near you using this
map of the Tesla charging network
. They’re typically located near major roads and highways, making them ideal for road trips.There’s really no contest: a Tesla supercharger is the fastest way to charge a 2021 Model 3, with 80% charge times as short as 30 minutes. But one thing to keep in mind with DC fast chargers is that charging times slow down outside of the 20% to 80% charge range. In other words, you might get your Model 3 from 20% charge to 80% in as little as 20 minutes, then wait another half-hour to watch the battery reach a full charge.
If you use a supercharger station, you’ll likely find yourself there with other Tesla cars—but the Model 3 has the fastest charge time, as shown in the table below!
Tesla vehicle | Miles of range per 15 minutes of Supercharger use |
|---|---|
Tesla Model 3 | 175 miles |
Tesla Model S | 163 miles |
Tesla Model Y | 158 miles |
Tesla Model X | 142 miles |
How to save on Tesla insurance costs
Worrying about charge times is just one of the challenges of electric vehicle ownership. Finding affordable
car insurance for green vehicles
is another.While electric cars like the Model 3 tend to be very reliable, their repair costs can be high—leading to elevated insurance premiums. But shopping with a licensed
car insurance broker
like Jerry
can help you reduce your Tesla insurance cost
and put money back in your pocket. Here’s how it works: download the app, answer a few questions, and you’ll see real-time quotes customized to your profile in just 45 seconds. Jerry works with over 55 national insurance providers to get you the best rates on Tesla insurance and will handle all the paperwork to get you switched over to your new rate. On average, Jerry users save over $800 on car insurance—more than enough to install that Level 2 Wall Connector and cut down on charge time!
“Jerryis an amazing app. Thanks to it, I saved a lot of money for my Tesla Model 3’s insurance. I’m so glad I downloaded the app!” —Erza S.
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