Portable charger
Lectron Portable Level 2 J1772 EV Charger
A 40-amp J1772 charger on the end of a NEMA 14-50 plug and a carrying case: no install, no electrician, as long as the outlet already exists.
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Best for
Renters and second homes with an existing 14-50 outlet
Specifications
| Max output | 40 A / 9.6 kW at 240 V |
|---|---|
| Plug | NEMA 14-50 (plug-in only, not hardwired) |
| Connector | J1772 |
| Cable | 16 ft |
| Weather | Weather-resistant, indoor/outdoor use |
| Listing | ETL certified to UL 2594 / UL 2231; Energy Star, FCC |
| Versions | Wi-Fi (Lectron app scheduling) or plug-and-play with LED status |
| In the box | Charger and carrying case |
Specifications as published by Lectron. Confirm against the current spec sheet before buying: manufacturers revise models without renaming them.
What's good
- No installation at all where a 14-50 receptacle on a 50 A circuit already exists
- Travels: goes in the trunk to a second home, a rental, or the next house
- Plug-and-play version skips the app entirely if the car already schedules its own charging
What's not
- 16 ft cable is short. Measure from the outlet to the car's port before buying
- 40 A ceiling, and a 14-50 receptacle must be on a properly sized 50 A circuit
- J1772 only; NACS cars need an adapter
- No hardwired option, so it can't reach the 48 A the wall units do
Our verdict
The charger to buy when the electrical work is the problem, not the charger. If there's already a 14-50 in the garage on a 50 A circuit, this plugs in and charges at essentially wall-unit speed. Check the breaker and the wire behind the outlet are genuinely rated for 50 A first: a 40 A continuous charge is exactly the load an undersized range or welder circuit can't carry, and the outlet existing is not the same as the circuit being right.
Compare with the alternatives
- Tesla Universal Wall Connector: mixed or future-proof households: any ev, either connector
- Emporia Classic EV Charger: best value in a 48 a smart charger, and tight panels via powersmart
- Emporia Pro EV Charger: tight panels, where powersmart is the reason you're buying
- ChargePoint Home Flex (CPH50): the established smart charger with the widest install base
- Wallbox Pulsar Plus 48A: small-footprint installs and ct-based dynamic load management
- Autel MaxiCharger AC Lite Home 50A: maximum output per dollar in a hardwired smart charger
- Grizzl-E Classic 40A: the rugged no-smart pick, and detached garages with no wi-fi
- Lectron V-Box Pro 48A: the lowest-cost 48 a smart unit
- Grizzl-E Mini Connect 40A: renters, road trips, and anyone not ready to hardwire