Owner's Guide

Charging Instructions
Opening the Charge Port
The charge port is located on the left side of
Model 3, behind a door that is part of the rear
tail light assembly. Before charging, park
Model 3 to ensure that the charge cable easily
reaches the charge port.
With Model 3 unlocked (or an authenticated
phone is within range) and in Park, press and
release the button on the Tesla charge cable
to open the charge port door.
You can also open the charge port door using
any of these methods:
• On the touchscreen, use the app launcher
to open the Charging app, then touch
Open Charge Port.
• On the car status on the touchscreen,
touch the charging icon.
• On the "Cards" area on the touchscreen,
touch the charging icon, then press OPEN
CHARGE PORT.
• Press the bottom of the charge port door
when Model 3 is unlocked or an
authenticated phone is nearby.
• On the key fob accessory (sold
separately), hold down the rear trunk
button for 1-2 seconds.
Note: The following image is provided for
demonstration purposes only. Depending on
market region, your charge port may be
slightly dierent.
Note: The Tesla "T" lights up white when you
open the charge port door. If you do not insert
a charge cable into the charge port within a
few minutes after opening the charge port
door, the charge port door closes. If this
happens, use the touchscreen to open the
charge port door again
Caution: Do not try to force the charge
port door open.
Plugging In
If desired, use the touchscreen to change the
charge limit and the charging current (see
Charging Status and Settings on page 126).
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 provided. Depending on the
charging equipment you are using, you may
need to start and stop charging using a
control on the charging equipment.
If you are using the Mobile Connector, plug it
into the power outlet before plugging it into
Model 3.
Align the connector to the charge port and
insert fully. When the connector is properly
inserted, charging begins automatically after
Model 3:
• 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 3 is plugged in but not
actively charging, it draws energy from the
wall outlet instead of using energy stored in
the Battery. For example, if you are sitting in
Charging Instructions
124 Model 3 Owner's Manual