Tesla Model 3 Charging Cable
Quick recommendation
A Tesla Model 3 charging cable is the least Tesla-specific thing about the car. On AC the Model 3 uses an ordinary Type 2 inlet and an 11 kW onboard charger, exactly like a Volkswagen or a Kia, and it has done since the first UK cars in 2019. Nothing about the badge changes which cable fits.
This catches people out because Tesla does so much else differently. The connector on the car in North America is not the one fitted here. Every UK and European Model 3, including the Highland facelift from late 2023, has a Type 2 socket for AC, so a Type 2 to Type 2 Charging Cable is correct for all of them.
The 11 kW figure assumes three phases arriving together. UK houses have one phase, and Tesla's own charging documentation gives 7.4 kW at 32A on a single-phase 230V supply, which is what a home wallbox provides. Our 1-Phase, 32A cable carries that in full and is the right buy for a driveway. The 22 kW three-phase cable cannot lift a Model 3 above its own 11 kW, and behind a domestic supply it delivers the same 7.4 kW as the 32A does, so it only makes sense with a genuine three-phase feed at a workplace.
Avoid the 16A cable on a car with this much battery. A 75 kWh Long Range Model 3 needs 23 hours at 3.7 kW, which is not an overnight charge by any definition, against 11 hours 30 minutes on the 32A. The gap in range recovered is just as stark, about 21 miles an hour rather than 42.
Worth knowing about the lead in the boot: the Mobile Connector Tesla supplies is a three-pin lead, not a wallbox cable. It draws around 2.3 kW and is the equivalent of our Type 2 to 3-Pin Charging Cable, which is IP67 sealed and adds roughly 13 miles of range an hour. Many Model 3 owners discover on delivery day that they have no cable for the wallbox they just had fitted. Our note on charging from a household socket sets out what that lead can and cannot do.
Tesla does not publish battery capacities, so the figures in the tables below are the best independent estimates rather than manufacturer numbers, and the charge times move with them. The Tesla Model Y uses the same onboard charger and the same inlet, and the Tesla charging cable range covers the rest. For how a cable holds up left outdoors, see our guide to IP ratings.
IP55 on the Type 2 to Type 2 and IP67 on the Type 2 to 3-Pin, made to IEC 62196 Type 2, CE certified, usable from -30C to +50C, or +60C for the 3-pin, with a 2 year manufacturer's warranty and same-day dispatch on working-day orders placed before 2pm.
Tesla Model 3 Charging Times by Version
Long Range, approximately 75 kWh usable, up to 421 miles WLTP
Maximum onboard AC charging speed: 11 kW three phase, 7.4 kW on a UK single-phase supply
| Cable Type | Max Charge Rate | Empty to Full | Range Added Per Hour | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 2 - 1-Phase, 16A (5m / 10m) | 3.7 kW | 23 hours | approx. 21 miles | Too slow for this battery |
| Type 2 - 1-Phase, 32A (5m / 10m) | 7.4 kW | 11 hours 30 mins | approx. 42 miles | Best Fit at home |
| Type 2 - 3-Phase, 32A (5m / 10m) | 11 kW (car limited) | 7 hours 45 mins | approx. 62 miles | For 22kW posts and workplaces |
| Type 2 to 3-Pin (5m / 10m) | 2.3 kW | 36 hours 45 mins | approx. 13 miles | Ideal backup |
Rear Wheel Drive, approximately 57 kWh usable, up to 319 miles WLTP
Maximum onboard AC charging speed: 11 kW three phase, 7.4 kW on a UK single-phase supply
| Cable Type | Max Charge Rate | Empty to Full | Range Added Per Hour | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 2 - 1-Phase, 16A (5m / 10m) | 3.7 kW | 17 hours 30 mins | approx. 21 miles | Too slow for this battery |
| Type 2 - 1-Phase, 32A (5m / 10m) | 7.4 kW | 8 hours 45 mins | approx. 41 miles | Best Fit at home |
| Type 2 - 3-Phase, 32A (5m / 10m) | 11 kW (car limited) | 5 hours 45 mins | approx. 62 miles | For 22kW posts and workplaces |
| Type 2 to 3-Pin (5m / 10m) | 2.3 kW | 28 hours | approx. 13 miles | Ideal backup |
The earlier Standard Range Plus, roughly 52.5 kWh, sits just under the Rear Wheel Drive figures at about 8 hours on the 32A cable. Winter weather and motorway speeds pull all of these numbers down.
Tesla Model 3 Charging Cable FAQs
Does a Tesla Model 3 use a Type 2 cable in the UK?
Yes. Every Tesla Model 3 sold in the UK and Europe has a Type 2 inlet for AC charging, including the Highland facelift. The different connector people have read about is the North American one and it has never been fitted to a UK car, so a standard Type 2 to Type 2 cable is correct.
What speed does a Tesla Model 3 charge at home?
7.4 kW, which is the ceiling of a single-phase British supply and matches Tesla's own published figure of 32A at 230 volts. A Tesla Model 3 will accept 11 kW where three phases are available, but no ordinary house can provide that, so the 32A single-phase cable is what delivers everything the car can get at home.
Is the cable that came with the car enough?
Not for a wallbox. The Mobile Connector supplied with a Tesla Model 3 is a three-pin lead for household sockets, running at about 2.3 kW, so it cannot connect to a Type 2 wallbox at all. Owners fitting a home charger need a separate Type 2 to Type 2 cable, and this catches a lot of people on delivery day.
Would a 22kW cable charge a Tesla Model 3 faster?
Not at a house. A Tesla Model 3 caps its AC intake at 11 kW, so the 22kW three-phase cable never delivers its full rating to this car, and on a single-phase supply it gives the same 7.4 kW as the cheaper 32A cable. It only pays where three phases genuinely reach the socket.
How long does a Tesla Model 3 take to charge from empty?
About 11 hours 30 minutes for a Long Range Tesla Model 3 on a 7.4 kW home wallbox, and about 8 hours 45 minutes for the Rear Wheel Drive car. Tesla does not publish battery capacities, so these are calculated from independent estimates and should be treated as close rather than exact.
How long a charging cable does a Tesla Model 3 need?
The inlet sits in the rear light cluster on the driver's side of a Tesla Model 3, so the best length depends entirely on which way you park. Reverse onto a drive with the wallbox on that side and 5m is generous. Nose in, or park with the offside against a wall or a fence, and the cable has to go round the car, which is where 10m stops being optional.