Why this matters more than any option on the car
With home charging you leave every morning with the range you want and rarely think about it. Without it, you are planning around public chargers, which is workable but a different ownership experience. Sort this out before you order if you can.
The three ways to charge at home
| Setup | Typical speed | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Standard 120V outlet | Roughly 3 to 5 miles of range per hour | Short daily mileage, or as a stopgap |
| 240V outlet (NEMA 14-50) with Mobile Connector | Up to roughly 30 miles per hour | Most households |
| Tesla Wall Connector on a 60A circuit | Up to roughly 44 miles per hour | High mileage, two EVs, or a clean permanent install |
Overnight, even the middle option refills far more than a typical day of driving. The Wall Connector's extra speed is a convenience, not a necessity, for most people.
Check what comes with the car
Tesla stopped including the Mobile Connector with new vehicles in 2022, so you may need to buy one, or a Wall Connector, separately. Confirm what your order includes before delivery day so you are not stuck without a way to charge in the first week.
Installation
Use a licensed electrician and pull a permit. EV charging is a sustained high load for hours at a time, which is much harder on wiring and outlets than a dryer or oven. If you go the outlet route, ask for an industrial-grade receptacle rated for continuous EV use, since cheap ones are a known failure point. Cost depends almost entirely on the distance from your panel to the parking spot and whether the panel has spare capacity, so get two or three quotes.
Look for incentives before you book. Many utilities and some states offer rebates on charger hardware or installation, and some offer cheaper overnight rates for EV owners.
Habits that help
- Set the daily charge limit the car recommends for your battery. The car shows the recommended range on the charging screen.
- Use scheduled charging to take advantage of off-peak rates if your utility has them.
- Leave it plugged in. The car manages itself, and staying plugged in lets it precondition from wall power in cold weather.
Renting or in an apartment
Ask your landlord or association early. Some states have right-to-charge laws that limit their ability to refuse a reasonable install at your expense. Failing that, workplace charging or a reliable public fast charger on a route you already drive can make ownership work, but be honest with yourself about the inconvenience before ordering.