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Lectron was the first EV charger I ever purchased. It was a low-power Level 2 unit that worked perfectly with an existing 240V outlet in my home's garage. Since that time, I’ve tested a half-dozen more Lectron units, and all of them have proven to be affordable, reliable, and simple to operate. The 40-amp Portable Level 2 NACS Tesla EV Charger is no exception.
Tips From a Veteran - What To Know Before You Install A Home EV Charger
Before You Buy Your Portable Charger, Plan Ahead
We always recommend that EV owners hard-wire their wall-mount chargers; however, this advice doesn’t apply to “portable” chargers. You can’t move a hard-wired unit. That means you will likely be purchasing a charger equipped with a NEMA 14-50 plug end. You will need to plug that into a NEMA 14-50 socket that your electrician installs for you. Where you place that socket will be important.
The portable chargers are designed to be below the outlet. Ensure that your outlet is high enough off the ground for the charger’s body to be around chest height, so you can view its LEDs properly. That means installing the outlet higher than usual, around six feet off the floor. Check out the sample image above, which we have taken from the Lectron sight for a good illustration of what we mean. Do you see how the outlet is up high and above the body of the charger? In addition, be sure the ground slot is “up.” Check out the image below this paragraph for how it should be. If you arrange it this way, the portable charger can hang properly without its supply power cord getting looped.
Please Excuse Our Images and Test Stand
When we created our test stand, we needed to place the outlet on the wall before we started sourcing all the chargers we’d test. We mounted it in a manner that worked well for most wall-mounted chargers. This is not optimum for a portable charger that hangs down under an outlet. Moving the outlet is not practical for our testing, so please excuse how the images look. Your installation will be much “cleaner” and ergonomic if you plan ahead.
Lectron Portable Level 2 NACS Tesla EV Charger - Unboxing
One thing we loved about this portable charger is its packaging. It arrived in a box with no overpacking. That reduces waste. Inside is a black soft-sided “suitcase” with a handle on top. It zips in half, allowing the charger to come out, but more importantly. It can also go back into the case. The cord of the NACS charger is much lighter, narrower, and more flexible than the J-plug style, making it easier to re-pack.
Lectron Portable Level 2 NACS Tesla EV Charger - Installation
The Lectron portable chargers come with simple-to-install plastic wall brackets into which the body snaps. Installation takes just a few moments. We didn’t use it because our test stand plug was not ideally mounted, so we let it hang, and it worked great. We’ve used Lectron portable chargers at Airbnbs that hung, and it’s fine for a quick charge. If you end up using this as your daily charger, we’d suggest using the bracket. We’d also install a cable loop hook next to it.
Lectron Portable Level 2 NACS Tesla EV Charger - App Pairing
Having tested prior Lectron units, we already had the app installed. It takes under three minutes to load and start using. All you need is your home Wi-Fi password. Once you have the app, you simply “add device” to add the new unit. I cannot imagine a simpler app. I loved how easy it was to use. Normally, app installation and initiation are the longest parts of my first day of testing. With the Lectron unit, it took mere moments.
Lectron Portable Level 2 NACS Tesla EV Charger - Charging a Tesla Model Y
We charged a 2025 Tesla Model Y Performance using the Lectron charger. We opened the charge door manually, and the Lectron charger went in smoothly and felt secure. There is a small button on the top of the charger handle for releasing the clasp that holds the handle in place during charging. The handle feels sleek, lightweight, and of very high quality. Being an NACS unit, the cable is relatively thin and lightweight (a big plus compared to J-Plug cables, which are heavier).
Charging began in an instant. The app displayed the connection status, power delivery rate, and total. In addition, the Tesla app shows the charging info on the phone of the vehicle owner, and it is also displayed inside the car on the screen. Compatibility was perfect.
The Lectron charger delivered the full power potential of our circuit. Given our 50-amp circuit and the 80% rule, the nominal safe current delivery is 40 amps. We observed 40.6 amps and 240 volts of line potential, resulting in a 9.82 kW power delivery rate. This is as good as charging using a NEMA 14-50 outlet can be. If we lost you here with all the engineering jibber jabber, let us summarize by saying, this is Level 2 portable charging at its best. You will get roughly 20 to 35 miles of range per hour on the charger. The exact amount depends on your vehicle’s ability to accept a charge and its efficiency, not the charger.
Lectron Portable Level 2 NACS Tesla EV Charger - GFCI - Heat
As all garages are required to have by code, ours has a GFCI-protected circuit to prevent ground-fault shocks to the operator. We experienced no false trips. The cord did not heat up, nor did the plug end. They just get nicely warm.
Lectron Portable Level 2 NACS Tesla EV Charger - Warranty and Safety Ratings
One thing we really love about Lectron products is that they come with a 30-day no-hassle refund or exchange offer. A two-year Limited Warranty covers chargers and other products. If you wish, Lectron will sell you an additional three years of warranty for $40.99.
Lectron says that the charger handle is UL 2251 certified, and the charger itself is Energy Star, ETL, and FCC certified.
Lectron Portable Level 2 NACS Tesla EV Charger - Yes, It Works In Rain and Snow
Like almost all portable chargers, this one has an IP65 enclosure rating, so it’s rated for use in rain or snow. That said, many owners opt to use a simple cover, such as a wooden box, sort of like a bird house, or a simple plastic sheet that hangs down over the top of the unit to keep ice and wind-blown rain off it. Many folks who mount the charger outside will use a simple hook or a garden house holder to hold the cord off the ground. We wouldn't recommend standing in ankle-deep water while handling a charger, but we’ve successfully charged EVs in rain and snow on multiple occasions. Just ensure that your circuit has GFCI protection as required by the electric code.
Lectron Portable Level 2 NACS Tesla EV Charger - Cord Length
The cable length of the Lectron charger is 16 feet. That length works very well for any single-bay parking spot with the car oriented such that the charge port is at the end facing the charger. You may not be able to pull the cable to the other end. You will not be able to charge a car in another parking space unless its charge door is facing the charger. Some wall-mounted units have cables of over 20 feet, but the downside to those is a lot of unused cable looped on the wall. Sixteen feet is plenty for nearly all applications. Plan your installation so that the outlet location works for your parking spot.
Lectron Portable Level 2 NACS Tesla EV Charger - Pricing and Value
At the time of publication, Lectron’s price for this unit was $259.99, with free shipping. It is available from retailers, such as Amazon, for $299.99. This is an excellent price for a Wi-Fi and app-enabled charger delivering 40 amps. You need not pay more.
Lectron Portable Level 2 NACS Tesla EV Charger - Amazon Owner Ratings
This unit earned a solid 4.4 out of five-star average rating on Amazon by owners. 71% of owners give it a 5-star score.
Lectron Portable Level 2 NACS Tesla EV Charger - Summary and Conclusion
Lectron is a trusted name in electric vehicle supply equipment and the brand we’ve worked with the longest. If you are looking for a simple, affordable, and reliable Level 2 NACS-style charger with an app that allows for scheduled charging, this unit is the way to go.
Testing Notes: This unit was provided by Lectron to Torque News for evaluation at no cost. As with all of the chargers we test, we offered to return it at the conclusion of our testing. However, Lectron suggested we gift it to an EV owner or deliver it to a colleague for a future review. The author has purchased Lectron chargers at full price for personal use in the past.
About our Test Vehicle: Tesla offers zero support to the New England Motor Press Association, so we borrowed this Model Y from Pan Pro Pest to do our testing. Thank you, Pan.
If you own a Lectron charger, please tell us how it has worked for you in our comments section below.
John Goreham is the Vice President of the New England Motor Press Association and an expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. He is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE int). In addition to his fourteen years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can connect with John on LinkedIn and follow his work on his personal X channel or on our X channel. Please note that stories carrying John's by-line are never AI-generated, but he does employ grammar and punctuation software when proofreading and he also uses image generation tools.
Images by John Goreham, except for the one showing the charger on the outside garage wall, which was borrowed from the Lectron website.
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