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Charging basics

How to use a Tesla Supercharger

Checked 2 October 2026. Rules and prices change, so check the sources below before you rely on a figure.

Supercharging a Tesla is plug in and walk away. There is no card to tap, no app to open and no button to press: the car and the charger talk to each other, and the cost goes on the payment card saved in your Tesla account.

Before you set off

  1. Add a payment card to your Tesla account. Open the Tesla app, go to Charging and add a card. Without one, Supercharging will not start.
  2. Navigate to the Supercharger in the car. Pick it from the charging icon on the map or type its name into the navigation. The car warms or cools the battery on the way so it charges faster when you arrive. This is called preconditioning and it can cut several minutes off a stop in cold weather.
  3. Check how busy it is. The car's map shows how many stalls are free at each Supercharger, updated live.

At the Supercharger

  1. Reverse into a free stall. On most UK sites the cable is short and reaches the charge port at the back left of the car. Newer V4 stalls have longer cables.
  2. Press the button on the charger handle. This opens the charge port door. You can also open it from the touchscreen or by pressing the port door.
  3. Plug in. The light around the port turns flashing green when charging starts. The touchscreen shows the charging speed in kW, the time to your charge limit and the cost so far.
  4. Leave when you have enough. You do not need to charge to 100%. Charging slows down a lot above 80%, so on a road trip it is usually quicker to stop twice for a short top-up than once for a long one.

Finishing and paying

Unlock the car, press the button on the handle (or tap Stop Charging in the app) and unplug. You are billed automatically. The receipt appears in the Tesla app under Charging.

Move the car soon after charging stops. When a site is busy, Tesla charges an idle fee for every minute a fully charged car stays plugged in. See Supercharger prices and fees.

If something goes wrong

  • Charging will not start: try another stall, then check the payment card in the app.
  • Charging is slow: the battery may be cold, or the stall may share power with its neighbour on older sites. See Why is my Tesla charging slowly?
  • The cable will not release: see Charging cable stuck.
  • A fault with the charger: report it in the app, or call Tesla on 01628 450 660 (UK Roadside Assistance, 24 hours).

See every UK Supercharger.

Sources

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