Which charging cable do I need?
Most public chargers in the UK either have their own cable or need you to bring one. Rapid chargers and Superchargers always have their own. Slower AC chargers often do not.
The three kinds of charger
| Charger | Cable | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla Supercharger or other rapid (DC) charger | Fixed cable on the charger | Nothing |
| AC charger with a cable attached (tethered) | Fixed Type 2 cable | Nothing |
| AC charger with a socket | None | Your own Type 2 to Type 2 cable |
Every charger page on this site says which kind it is under "How to charge".
Buying a Type 2 cable
- Type 2 to Type 2. This is the standard in the UK and Europe. Type 1 cables are for some older cars and will not fit a Tesla.
- 32 A three-phase cables work on every AC charger and let a Tesla charge at its maximum of 11 kW where three-phase power is available. A 32 A single-phase cable is cheaper and lighter and is enough for most UK chargers, which are 7 kW.
- Length: 5 metres covers most bays. Lamp-post and on-street charging may need 7 or 10 metres.
- Storage: keep it in the sub-boot under the rear floor so it does not slide about.
Do I already have one?
Tesla has changed what comes in the box over the years. Check under the boot floor and the frunk. If you have the Tesla Mobile Connector, that is for household and industrial sockets, not for Type 2 public posts. See Using the Tesla Mobile Connector.
Locking the cable
On socket chargers your cable is locked into the car while charging and released when you unlock the car. You can choose in the touchscreen whether the cable unlocks automatically. The charger end is usually locked by the charger itself until the session ends.