Tesla Model S Standard EV charger: which one fits best?
The Model S Standard carries the entry battery of the range. It still covers up to 512 km on the WLTP cycle, which is more than most drivers use in a week. At home it charges with alternating current, or AC, at up to 16.5 kW. That maximum needs a three-phase supply, which uses three live wires instead of one. An 11 kW charger already fills the car comfortably within a night. There is a page for each version in the Tesla Model S EV charger overview, and for every other model under Tesla EV chargers.
For the Tesla Model S Standard we recommend a charger from our 11 kW EV chargers.
Charging specifications of the Tesla Model S Standard
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Battery capacity (usable) | 72.5 kWh |
| Max. AC charging power (home) | 16.5 kW (three-phase) |
| Range (WLTP) | up to 512 km |
| Charging time with an 11 kW charger | approx. 7.5 hours, including charging losses |
| Charging time with a 22 kW charger (car draws 16.5 kW) | approx. 5 hours, including charging losses |
| Charging plug (AC) | Type 2 |
| DC fast charging (direct current, on the road) | up to 100 kW |
For home charging the AC figure is what counts, not the range. The car accepts 16.5 kW, so an 11 kW charger already uses most of what it can take. The Model S has a CCS socket, the combined connector for both home and rapid charging. At home you use its Type 2 half, the connector nearly every home charger carries. For charging elsewhere you need a matching type 2 charging cable.
Which EV charger suits the Tesla Model S Standard?
An 11 kW charger is the practical choice for this car. It refills the battery in a single night and keeps the load on your fuse board modest. On a 22 kW EV charger the Standard draws its full 16.5 kW instead. That brings a full charge down from roughly 7.5 hours to about 5. Whether it is worth it depends on how often you need a second charge the same day.
Most owners of this car never run the battery flat. You plug in with half a battery, take on twenty or thirty kilowatt-hours, and repeat that most days. Sessions that size vanish into a household bill without a trace. A MID meter is a certified kWh meter inside the charger, and it is what makes them visible again. At 11 kW only a narrow set of models carries one, so read the specification before you order. Look under chargers with a MID meter to see which models qualify.
Load balancing is the second thing to check: the charger tracks what the rest of the house is drawing and steps its own power down when the fuse board fills up. On a saloon that charges in short evening sessions, that mostly saves you from tripping a fuse while cooking. Our EV chargers with dynamic load balancing do this on their own, without an app or a schedule.
A Model S is long, so where the socket sits relative to the charger matters more than on a hatchback. Cable length and mounting height are worth checking on our home EV chargers page.
We always recommend having the connection made by a qualified electrician. That is safer and it matters for your insurance. Wallbox Discounter can also arrange the installation in the Netherlands, Flemish Belgium and Germany. Shipping runs worldwide, but that installation service does not.
How long does the Tesla Model S Standard take to charge?
With a 72.5 kWh usable battery and an 11 kW charger you go from nearly empty to full in about 7.5 hours. In practice you rarely charge from zero to a hundred percent overnight. A daily top-up is usually done within a couple of hours. Rapid charging on the road runs on direct current, or DC, at up to 100 kW. That is not something you do at home.
Other versions of the Tesla Model S
Wallbox Discounter also has charging information for the other versions of the Tesla Model S:
- Tesla Model S Long Range, with a bigger range
- Tesla Model S 75D
- Tesla Model S 100D
Frequently asked questions
Does the Tesla Model S Standard need a three-phase supply?
For the full 16.5 kW, yes. A single-phase supply of 32 amps gives the car 7.4 kW. At 16 amps it drops to 3.7 kW, and a full charge then takes far longer than a night. If you are unsure what your fuse board allows, a qualified electrician can check it for you.
Why is a MID meter useful on the Model S Standard?
A MID certified kWh meter records your charging accurately. You see what the car alone costs, separate from the rest of your electricity bill. On a battery this size that difference adds up quickly over a year. At 11 kW the choice is narrow, so check the specification; the widest choice sits at 22 kW.
Can I charge the Tesla Model S Standard faster with a 22 kW charger?
Yes, up to a point. The car accepts 16.5 kW on AC, so a 22 kW charger delivers more than an 11 kW model does. Above 16.5 kW the car itself sets the ceiling. For a normal overnight charge 11 kW is already enough. The extra power helps mainly if you need to recharge again the same day.