Owner’s Manual

Opening the Charge Port
The charge port is located on the driver’s side
of Model S, behind a door that is part of the
rear tail light assembly.
Park Model S so that the charge cable easily
reaches the charge port.
With Model S unlocked, or a recognized key
nearby, press and release the button on a
Tesla charge cable to open the charge port
door. If the cable you are using does not have
this button, you can also open the charge port
door using any of these methods:
• Touch Controls > Charge Port on the
touchscreen.
• Touch the battery icon at the top of the
touchscreen to display the Charging
screen, then touch Open Charge Port.
• Hold down the rear trunk button on the
key for 1-2 seconds.
To charge at a public charging station, attach
an adapter to the station’s charging
connector. The most commonly used
adapter(s) for each market region are
supplied with Model S. Depending on the
charging equipment you are using, you may
need to start and stop charging using a
control on the charging equipment.
Note: The charge port lights up white when
you open the charge port door. If you do not
connect a charge cable, the light eventually
turns off.
Note:
If you do not insert the charge cable
into the charge port within a few minutes after
opening the charge port door, the latch
closes. If this happens, use the touchscreen to
open the charge port door.
Caution: The connector end of the charge
cable can damage the paint if dropped
onto Model S.
Caution: Do not attempt to force the
charge port door open. Doing so can
damage the latch. A damaged latch
cannot hold the door closed.
Plugging In
If desired, use the touchscreen to change the
charge limit and the charging current.
If you are using the Mobile Connector, plug it
into the power outlet before plugging it into
Model S.
Align the connector to the charge port and
insert fully. When the connector is properly
inserted, charging begins automatically after
Model S:
• Engages a latch that holds the connector
in place.
• Shifts into Park (if it was in any other
gear).
• Heats or cools the Battery, if needed. If
the Battery requires heating or cooling,
you may notice a delay before charging
begins.
Note: Whenever Model S is plugged in but not
actively charging, it draws energy from the
wall instead of using energy stored in the
Battery. For example, if you are sitting in
Model S and using the touchscreen while it’s is
parked and plugged in, the energy being used
is drawn from the power outlet instead of the
Battery.
Charging Model S
104 Model S Owner's Manual