EV Charging Amps by Vehicle

It depends on the car's onboard charger, which is the ceiling for AC (Level 2) charging. Most current mainstream EVs, including the Tesla Model 3 and Y, Rivian R1T and R1S, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Kia EV6, accept 48A (11.5 kW). Entry models like the Nissan Leaf and Toyota bZ4X accept about 32A (7.7 kW). Big-battery trucks like the Ford F-150 Lightning Extended Range and GMC Hummer EV can accept 80A (19.2 kW) with the right charger. These vary by trim and model year, so confirm your vehicle's onboard AC charger rating.

Only up to your car's onboard charger limit. The onboard charger is the ceiling: if your car accepts 32A, plugging into a 48A charger still charges at 32A, not 48A. A larger charger only helps if the car can accept more. This is why you match the charger to the car's onboard rating, then size the circuit to the charger. Buying a 48A charger for a 32A-max car does no harm and future-proofs for your next EV, but it will not speed up the current one.

By the charger, always. The wire and breaker are sized to the EVSE (the charger) at 125% of its output, never to the car (NEC 625.41, 625.42). The car only decides how many amps it will draw from that charger. So the workflow is: check your car's onboard AC charger maximum, pick a charger at or above it, then size the circuit to the charger. A 48A charger gets a 60A circuit with #6 copper whether the car draws the full 48A or only 32A.

A 48A / 240V Level 2 charger delivers 11.5 kW, which adds roughly 35 to 44 miles of range per hour depending on the vehicle's efficiency. Over an overnight charge that is 350 to 440 miles, far more than a typical daily commute needs. A 32A charger (7.7 kW) adds about 24 to 30 miles per hour, and an 80A charger (19.2 kW) about 60 to 75, though only big-battery vehicles can accept 80A.

A Tesla Model 3 or Model Y (and Model S/X) has a 48A onboard charger, so it charges at up to 48A / 11.5 kW on Level 2, which pairs with the 48A Tesla Wall Connector on a 60A circuit. The Ford F-150 Lightning is 48A on most trims, but the Extended Range battery paired with Ford's 80A Charge Station Pro accepts up to 80A / 19.2 kW on a 100A circuit. Always check your specific trim and model year, since onboard charger sizes change between versions.