What size breaker does a 48 amp EV charger need?

60 A. A charger may draw only 80% of its breaker's rating, and 48 A is 80% of 60 A.

What size wire does a 48 amp EV charger need?

6 AWG copper run as individual conductors in conduit, or 4 AWG copper in NM-B cable. 6 AWG NM-B is rated for 55 A, which is not enough for a 60 A EV circuit.

Can I put a 48 amp charger on a 50 amp breaker?

Only if the charger is set to 40 A or less when it is installed. At its full 48 A it would run above 80% of the breaker for hours, which the code does not allow and which trips the breaker.

What size breaker does a Tesla Wall Connector need?

60 A for its full 48 A output. It can be set at install for smaller circuits, and a Model 3 RWD, which accepts 32 A, is fully served on a 40 A breaker.

What size breaker and wire does an EV charger need?

Short answer

A breaker at 125% of the charger: 60 A for a 48 A unit

58 of the 80 models here need a 60 A circuit to charge at their full rate. Wire size follows from the breaker and from how the wire is run.

The rule is short. EV charging is a continuous load, and section 625.41 of the National Electrical Code requires the breaker to be rated at 125% of what the charger draws. Put the other way round, a charger may use only 80% of its breaker. Everything in the table follows from that.

Breaker and wire by charger size

Charger	Breaker	Power	Copper in conduit	Copper NM-B cable	Connection	Models that need it
16 A	20 A	3.8 kW	12 AWG	12 AWG	NEMA 6-20 outlet or hardwired	0
24 A	30 A	5.8 kW	10 AWG	10 AWG	NEMA 14-30 or 6-30 outlet or hardwired	0
32 A	40 A	7.7 kW	8 AWG	8 AWG	NEMA 14-50 outlet or hardwired	8
40 A	50 A	9.6 kW	8 AWG	6 AWG	NEMA 14-50 outlet or hardwired	4
48 A	60 A	11.5 kW	6 AWG	4 AWG	Hardwired only	58
80 A	100 A	19.2 kW	3 AWG	Not used	Hardwired only	10

Wire sizes are the usual minimum for copper over a normal household run, from NEC Table 310.16: the 75°C column for individual conductors in conduit and the 60°C column for NM-B cable. Long runs, hot attics, aluminum wire and local amendments all change them, so the electrician and the inspector have the final say. The last column counts the 80 models on this site by the circuit each needs to charge at its full rate.

The mistake to avoid at 48 A

The common error is running 6 AWG NM-B cable, the ordinary sheathed kind, to a 48 A charger. NM-B has to be used at its 60°C rating, which for 6 AWG is 55 A. A 48 A charger needs a circuit good for 60 A, so that cable falls short.

There are two correct ways to do it: 4 AWG NM-B, or 6 AWG individual conductors in conduit, which are rated for 65 A. If a quote for a 48 A install lists 6 AWG Romex, ask about it before the work starts.

Start from the car, not the charger

The breaker follows the charger, and the charger should follow what the car accepts. Of the 80 models here, 58 need a 60 A circuit to charge at their full rate, 10 need 100 A, 4 need 50 A and 8 need only 40 A. The chart gives the answer for each one.

A bigger breaker than the charger calls for is not a safety margin. The breaker is there to protect the wire, so it is sized to the circuit, and the charger's current setting has to match it.

When the panel cannot spare that much

Most 40 A and 48 A chargers can be set at install to draw less, and then go on a smaller circuit: 32 A on a 40 A breaker, 24 A on 30 A, 16 A on 20 A. The setting has to be one the installer makes, not a slider in an app. Charging on a 100 A panel covers this in detail.

Two more things the electrician will raise

GFCI protection. An outlet installed for EV charging needs a GFCI breaker under the 2020 and 2023 code. A hardwired charger generally does not. See outlet or hardwired.
A disconnect above 60 A. Section 625.43 requires a lockable disconnect switch for a charger rated over 60 A, which means any 80 A unit.

Chargers

48 A, on a 60 A breaker

Charger	Rating	Plug	Install
Emporia Level 2 EV Charger 48A Energy monitoring built in. Hardwire it for the full 48 A.	48 A	J1772	plug-in or hardwired	Check price on Amazon
Wallbox Pulsar Plus 48A Compact unit, good for tight garages.	48 A	J1772	hardwired	Check price on Amazon
Tesla Wall Connector Tesla's own unit. Native NACS, hardwire only.	48 A	NACS	hardwired	Check price on Amazon

40 A, on a 50 A breaker

Charger	Rating	Plug	Install
Grizzl-E Classic 40A Rugged metal enclosure, built for outdoor use.	40 A	J1772	plug-in	Check price on Amazon
Autel MaxiCharger 40A NEMA 14-50 App scheduling and adjustable current from 16 A to 40 A.	40 A	J1772	plug-in	Check price on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices change constantly, so none are shown here.

Common questions

What size breaker does a 48 amp EV charger need?: 60 A. A charger may draw only 80% of its breaker's rating, and 48 A is 80% of 60 A.
What size wire does a 48 amp EV charger need?: 6 AWG copper run as individual conductors in conduit, or 4 AWG copper in NM-B cable. 6 AWG NM-B is rated for 55 A, which is not enough for a 60 A EV circuit.
Can I put a 48 amp charger on a 50 amp breaker?: Only if the charger is set to 40 A or less when it is installed. At its full 48 A it would run above 80% of the breaker for hours, which the code does not allow and which trips the breaker.
What size breaker does a Tesla Wall Connector need?: 60 A for its full 48 A output. It can be set at install for smaller circuits, and a Model 3 RWD, which accepts 32 A, is fully served on a 40 A breaker.

More guides

40 A or 48 A charger What the extra 8 amps adds, model by model, and what it costs to install.Outlet or hardwired What a plug-in charger can and cannot do, and when hardwiring is the better install.Charging on a 100 A panel Which charger sizes fit a small service, how many miles each adds overnight, and the ways around the limit.Is a wall outlet enough? Miles added per night on a 120 V outlet for all 80 models, and how to tell if you need more.80 A chargers The 10 models that accept more than 48 A, and how much time the bigger charger saves them.32 A or 40 A charger Which cars gain from 40 A, and why the breaker on the circuit usually decides it.How long charging takes Empty to full and a typical day's top-up for 80 models, on Level 2 and on a wall outlet.

Figures are calculated from EPA data and manufacturer specifications for the newest model year of each of the 80 models on this site, and agree with the full chart. "Typical EV" is the median of the 72 versions from model years 2026 and 2027. Code references are to the National Electrical Code. Local rules differ, so have a licensed electrician confirm anything here before work starts. Updated October 7, 2026.