How much does it cost to charge a Tesla Model S?

At the U.S. average residential rate (16.9¢/kWh), a full home charge of the Tesla Model S (100 kWh, ~402 mi range) costs about $18.78 — 5.1¢ per mile. Public DC fast charging at ~43¢/kWh runs about $43.00 per full charge.

How long does it take to charge a Tesla Model S?

On a Level 2 home charger the Tesla Model S accepts up to 11.5 kW, so an empty-to-full charge takes about 9.7 hours (roughly 38 miles of range per hour). At a DC fast charger its ~250 kW peak gives a 10–80% charge in about 26 minutes. On a standard 120V outlet (Level 1), a full charge takes around 84 hours.

What home charger do I need for a Tesla Model S?

Any Level 2 (240V) charger works; the Tesla Model S's onboard charger caps AC charging at 11.5 kW, so a 48A unit on a 60A circuit reaches that limit — a more powerful charger will not charge it faster. The electricity cost is the same at any speed: $18.78 per full charge at the national-average rate.

Cost to Charge a Tesla Model S

Updated September 2026 · U.S. average rates

The short answer: at the national average rate, a full home charge of the Tesla Model S (100 kWh usable, ~402 miles of range) costs about $18.78 — 5.1¢ per mile, or $50.75 per 1,000 miles. The same charge at a public DC fast charger runs roughly $43.00. Versus a 32-mpg gas car, home charging saves about $47.69 per 1,000 miles.

100 kWh

Battery (usable)

402 mi

EPA-est. range

3.7 mi/kWh

Efficiency

5.1¢

Cost per mile (avg)

Living with a Tesla Model S: the cost story

The Model S is the elder statesman of this list — a 400-volt architecture that predates the 800-volt arms race but still fast-charges respectably thanks to aggressive preconditioning on route to a Supercharger. Its long range means most owners plug in only a couple of times a week even without a daily routine.

Watch one thing on the cost side: the performance variants invite a driving style that can push consumption well above the EPA-based figure used here. Driven gently, a decade of Tesla aero refinement keeps the per-mile numbers close to cars a size class below it.

Cheapest & most expensive states for the Tesla Model S

Cheapest

North Dakota$12.44 full · 3.4¢/mi
Idaho$12.89 full · 3.5¢/mi
Utah$13.00 full · 3.5¢/mi
Wyoming$13.11 full · 3.5¢/mi
Louisiana$13.44 full · 3.6¢/mi

Most expensive

Hawaii$46.78 full · 12.6¢/mi
Connecticut$35.89 full · 9.7¢/mi
California$35.33 full · 9.5¢/mi
Massachusetts$34.67 full · 9.4¢/mi
Rhode Island$33.78 full · 9.1¢/mi

Tesla Model S charging speed & home charger

Cost does not depend on speed — a kWh is a kWh — but time does. These estimates use the Tesla Model S's onboard AC limit (11.5 kW) and its typical DC fast-charging peak (~250 kW); real sessions taper as the battery fills.

~84 h

Level 1 (120V outlet), empty → full

~9.7 h

Level 2 home charger (11.5 kW), empty → full

~38 mi

Level 2 range added per hour

~26 min

DC fast (~250 kW), 10 → 80%

Home charger sizing: the Tesla Model S tops out at 11.5 kW on AC, so a 48-amp charger on a 60-amp circuit reaches its limit — a bigger unit adds nothing. Overnight (8 hours) on Level 2 restores about 306 miles, more than most daily driving. See Level 1 vs Level 2 and how many kWh it takes to charge an EV.

Run it for your state

Your state

Electric vehicle

Your rate (¢/kWh, optional)

$17.33

Full charge at home (100 kWh, ~402 mi)

4.7¢

Per mile at home charging

$46.85

Per 1,000 miles / month

$43.00 (11.6¢/mi)

Public DC fast charging (~43¢/kWh)

9.8¢/mi

Comparable gas car (32 mpg @ $3.15/gal)

$51.59/mo saved

vs gas at 1,000 mi/month, home charging

Using Texas's average residential rate (15.6¢/kWh) · national average 16.9¢ · includes ~10% AC charging losses. Rates vary by utility and plan — your bill is the source of truth.

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