By: Otaiba Ahsan

If you’re a new Tesla owner, the concept of charging your vehicle can be quite confusing. It’s not as simple as opening a gas cap and putting fuel in your car for a few minutes. However, Tesla has made the process quite simple and intuitive. Once plugged in, there are a few different statuses that can show, indicating different things. Continue reading for knowledge on how to tell if your Tesla is charging from the charge port light.

Plugging In

Simply open the charge port, and fully insert the charging cable. When the connector is correctly inserted, charging will begin automatically. Once plugged in, a latch will engage that holds the cable in place, and the car will heat or cool the battery if required.

NOTE: When your Tesla is plugged in but not actively charging, such as if you’ve scheduled a charge or if the vehicle has already reached its charging limit, it will draw energy from the charging equipment instead of using stored energy from the battery. For example, if you’re using the air conditioning while the car is plugged in but not actively charging, your battery level won’t decrease.

Charge Port Light

Once you’ve successfully plugged in the charger, the Tesla “T” lights up. Here’s what the different colors indicate:

White (or Light Blue): The charge port door is open and the car is ready to charge. When this light is present, the cable isn’t inserted, or the charge port latch is unlocked and the connector is ready to be removed.
Blue: Once plugged in, a blinking blue indicates that your car is communicating with the charger but hasn’t begun charging yet. Once it becomes a solid blue, it means that the charger is connected, but the vehicle isn’t charging, such as when you’ve scheduled charging.
Green: Once plugged in, blinking green means that charging is in progress, and the frequency of blinking slows as the vehicle gets closer to a full charge. Moreover, solid green indicates that charging is complete.
Amber: Once plugged in, solid amber means that the cable isn’t fully plugged in, and that it needs to be realigned. Additionally, blinking amber indicates that the vehicle is charging at a reduced current.
Red: Indicates that a fault is detected and that charging has stopped. There will typically be an alert on the touchscreen.

NOTE: Not sure where to charge your Tesla? See our complete guide on locations where you can charge your Tesla.

The Bottom Line

The steps on how to tell if your Tesla is charging from the charge port light are simple. Once the car is plugged in, the Tesla “T” will light up. Depending on the status, the color will either be blinking or solid. For example, blinking green indicates that charging is in progress, and a solid green means that charging is complete. See above for details on what each color means.