Tesla Model 3 range, battery & charging
As the name suggests, the Tesla Model 3 Long Range boasts one of the longest driving ranges on a single charge of any electric car currently on sale
| Range | Battery size | Wallbox charge time | Rapid charge time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 278-360 miles | 60-70kWh | 8hrs-11hrs 45mins (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 22mins (10-80%, 250kW) |
The mid-range Tesla Model 3 Long Range delivers one of the best driving ranges of any pure-electric car on sale, significantly bettering those offered by rivals like the Jaguar I-Pace and Audi e-tron. Charging for the Model 3 happens using a Type 2 or CCS cable, giving you access to both Tesla Superchargers and the wider public charging network. Without an adapter, the Model S and Model X can only be charged on Tesla's own Supercharger network.
Find one of those Tesla-only Superchargers in a Model 3 Long Range and you can charge from 10% to 80% in a little over 20 minutes, while a standard home wallbox charger will take you to 100% in less than 12 hours. The Model 3’s charging port is hidden neatly in the side of the rear light cluster and, conveniently, you can open it by pushing a button on the cable.
Tesla Model 3 range
The Tesla Model 3 is offered in three trims, which in effect is just three different range options: the entry-level Standard Range Plus returns 278 miles, the Long Range 360 miles and the top-spec Performance 352 miles – the latter sacrificing a little range in the name of its neck-snapping acceleration.
Cars such as the Audi e-tron, Jaguar I-Pace and Hyundai Kona Electric are catching up, but Tesla is still the best out there when it comes to outright range. The company hasn’t officially stated battery size for the Model 3, but sources have previously stated that it’s a 60kWh battery in the Standard Range Plus and 70kWh in the Long Range and Performance models.
Charge time
The Tesla Model 3 Long Range can charge from 10-80% in as little as 30 minutes from a 120kW Tesla Supercharger, while the Standard Range Plus will do it in even less than that. It’s a welcome change that the Model 3 is compatible with CCS charging (converters are being offered for the Model X and Model S), which gives you access to most third-party charging stations.Topping up using a 50kW rapid charger – the most common motorway chargers – will take around 70 minutes.
Plug the Model 3 into a 7kW home charger and you’ll get a full charge in 13 hours. As with any big-battery electric car such as this, a three-pin cable is supplied more as an emergency backup than as a routine charging solution. It’ll take a couple of days to fully charge the Model 3 from a normal domestic socket – giving you around 10 miles of range per hour. Charging in this way is clearly not a long-term solution, but can still be useful in a pinch.
