The best portable EV chargers

Short answer

For a J1772 car and a NEMA 14-50 outlet in the US, the Lectron Portable 40 A J1772 is the one to buy: full 40 A Level 2 charging in a cord you can pack. In Canada, buy the Pion Power Flex-AC Elite, the only pick here with a stated Canadian safety mark, which also charges from a 120 V outlet. Tesla drivers should start with Tesla’s Mobile Connector.

Best portableLectron Portable Level 2 J1772 EV Charger (40 A, NEMA 14-50)

$249.99at Lectron · checked 2 Nov 2026

Check price at Lectron (opens in a new tab)

A portable EV charger is a charging cable with the control box built in: one end plugs into a wall outlet, the other into your car, and nothing is wired in. That makes the outlet the real decision: the plug sets the circuit you need, and each manual sets the current drawn from it, from 12 A on a household outlet to 40 A on a NEMA 14-50. We ranked the picks on that, on the safety listing for your country, and on cable and enclosure. Compare every cord we track in our portable EV charger comparison.

Our picks at a glance

1. 1
   Best portable

   Lectron Portable Level 2 J1772 EV Charger (40 A, NEMA 14-50)

   Full 40 A from a NEMA 14-50 outlet in a cord you can pack

   • 40 A max
   • 16 ft cable
   • 2-yr warranty
   $249.99at Lectron · checked 2 Nov 2026

   Check price at Lectron (opens in a new tab)
2. 2
   Best Level 1 and 2

   Pion Power Flex-AC Elite 40 A Portable Level 2 EV Charger (J1772)

   Canadian-sold, CSA-stated cord with 120/240 V adapters and app current control

   • 40 A max
   • 22 ft cable
   • 2-yr warranty
   No US price yet
3. 3
   Best Tesla portable

   Tesla Mobile Connector (Gen 3)

   Swappable plug adapters give 12–32 A from 120 V or 240 V outlets

   • 32 A max
   • 20 ft cable
   • 1-yr warranty
4. 4

   Lectron Portable Level 1 & 2 Tesla (NACS) EV Charger (12 A / 40 A)

   One NACS cord for both a household outlet and a NEMA 14-50

   • 40 A max
   • 16 ft cable
   • 2-yr warranty
   $309.99at Lectron · checked 2 Nov 2026

   Check price at Lectron (opens in a new tab)
5. 5

   Lectron Portable Level 2 Tesla (NACS) EV Charger (40 A, NEMA 14-50)

   Full 40 A from a NEMA 14-50 outlet for Teslas and other NACS-port EVs

   • 40 A max
   • 16 ft cable
   • 2-yr warranty
   $259.99at Lectron · checked 2 Nov 2026

   Check price at Lectron (opens in a new tab)

Side by side

Start with your outlet

Every cord here draws a set current from each plug, fixed by its manual or by the adapter you fit. EV charging counts as a continuous load, and the code sizes the circuit’s protection at 125 percent of it. That is why Lectron’s manual for its 40 A J1772 cord allows only a circuit protected at 50 A or less, and why Ontario requires a 50 A overcurrent device ahead of a 14-50 or 6-50 receptacle that feeds a cord-connected charger.

Outlet	Lectron 40 A (J1772 or NACS)	Pion Flex-AC Elite	Tesla Mobile Connector	Lectron Level 1 and 2 NACS
NEMA 5-15 (household 120 V)	No plug	12 A	12 A	12 A
NEMA 5-20 (120 V, 20 A)	No plug	No plug	16 A	No plug
NEMA 14-30 (240 V dryer outlet)	No plug	No plug	24 A	No plug
NEMA 14-50 (240 V)	40 A	40 A, or 6–40 A set in the app	32 A	40 A
NEMA 6-50 (240 V)	No plug	No plug	32 A	No plug

Twelve amps on 120 V is slow Level 1 charging. Not sure you need 240 V? Read Level 1 vs Level 2 charging.

For a new 14-50, ask for a heavy-duty receptacle: Leviton recommends its 1450R for its own plug-in charger, and Hubbell markets its HBL9450A for EV charging. Our guide to hardwired vs plug-in chargers explains the alternative, and why GFCI breakers sometimes trip with plug-in units.

Best portable

1. Lectron Portable 40 A J1772

Max output

40 A

Cable length

16 ft

Input voltage

208–240 V AC

Weight

10.58 lb

Warranty

2 years

Connectivity

No app (plug and charge)

The simplest way to full Level 2 speed from a NEMA 14-50 without a fixed charger. It draws 40 A, about 9.6 kW, through a 16 ft cable and an IP65 control box rated from -22 to 122 °F (-30 to 50 °C). Lectron’s manual asks for a dedicated 240 V circuit protected at 50 A or less and an outlet installed by a licensed electrician. A wall plate and a carrying case come in the box. The trade-offs: no 120 V plug, no current setting on this version, and a 2-year warranty shown only as a store-wide badge. Lectron states an ETL listing but no Canadian mark, so it is a US pick. Read our Lectron 40 A J1772 review.

Where to buy the Lectron Portable Level 2 J1772 EV Charger (40 A, NEMA 14-50)

• Lectron$249.99In stockchecked 2 Nov 2026Go to Lectron (opens in a new tab)

Prices and stock change; the retailer’s page is always the final word.

Best Level 1 and 2

2. Pion Power Flex-AC Elite 40 A

Max output

40 A

Cable length

22 ft

Input voltage

120 V or 240 V AC

Warranty

2 years

Connectivity

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Max power

9.6 kW

The one cord here we recommend in Canada. Pion, a Canadian brand, states CSA certification, and its manual lists the Canadian standards CSA C22.2 No. 280, 281.1 and 281.2. Two plug-on adapters give 12 A from a household outlet and 40 A from a NEMA 14-50, and the app can turn the current down to 6 A. That doesn’t make it fit a smaller circuit: Ontario lets only fixed-in-place chargers use a setting to size the circuit. Its 22 ft cable is the longest here, and heat sensors in the box and adapter slow, then stop, charging if they run hot. Against it: no breaker sizes in the manual, a 2-year warranty, no US store that we track, and a J1772 plug only (Pion sells a NACS version separately). See our Pion Flex-AC Elite review.

Where to buy the Pion Power Flex-AC Elite 40 A Portable Level 2 EV Charger (J1772)

No US price yet. Switch region in the header for Canada prices.

Best Tesla portable

3. Tesla Mobile Connector (Gen 3)

Max output

32 A

Cable length

20 ft

Input voltage

100–240 V AC (120 V or 240 V outlets)

Weight

5.2 lb

Warranty

1 year

Connectivity

No app (plug and charge)

Tesla’s own cord fits the most kinds of outlet. Its controller recognizes the plug adapter you push in and sets the current itself, from 12 A on a household outlet to 32 A (7.6 kW) on a 14-50 or 6-50, as the table above shows. The limits: 32 A tops out below the 40 A cords, it is made for battery EVs with a NACS port only, and bought on its own it has a 1-year warranty. Owner evidence is thin: some early owners reported failures. We track no store for it yet. In Canada, Intertek tested it to the Canadian standard, but we found no Canadian mark, so check the label for cUL, cETL or CSA before you buy. See our Mobile Connector review.

Also good: Level 1 and 2 for NACS cars

4. Lectron Portable Level 1 and 2 NACS

Max output

40 A

Cable length

16 ft

Input voltage

120 V or 208–240 V AC

Weight

8.38 lb

Warranty

2 years

Connectivity

No app (plug and charge)

The dual-voltage cord for a NACS-port car that wants 40 A at home: a NEMA 5-15 plug for 12 A (1.44 kW) and a NEMA 14-50 plug for 40 A (9.6 kW). There is nothing in between and no app, and the manual gives no breaker size for either plug, so have an electrician confirm that your 14-50 can carry 40 A continuously. At 8.38 lb it is lighter than Lectron’s single-plug cords. Lectron calls it UL certified, sells it on its own only in the US and states no Canadian mark, so it is a US pick. See our Lectron Level 1 and 2 NACS review.

Where to buy the Lectron Portable Level 1 & 2 Tesla (NACS) EV Charger (12 A / 40 A)

• Lectron$309.99In stockchecked 2 Nov 2026Go to Lectron (opens in a new tab)

Prices and stock change; the retailer’s page is always the final word.

Also good: 40 A for NACS cars

5. Lectron Portable 40 A NACS

Max output

40 A

Cable length

16 ft

Input voltage

208–240 V AC

Weight

10.58 lb

Warranty

2 years

Connectivity

No app (plug and charge)

The NACS twin of our top pick: 40 A from a NEMA 14-50, the same IP65 box and 16 ft cable, with a NACS handle. Its manual asks for a dedicated 240 V circuit and an outlet installed by a licensed electrician but states no breaker limit, so let the electrician size the circuit for 40 A continuous. Choose it over Tesla’s cord if you only ever charge from a 14-50 and want 40 A; choose Tesla’s if you need 120 V or dryer-outlet adapters. Lectron’s Canadian store has listed it, but Lectron doesn’t say whether its ETL mark covers Canada, so we don’t recommend it to Canadian buyers. See our Lectron 40 A NACS review.

Where to buy the Lectron Portable Level 2 Tesla (NACS) EV Charger (40 A, NEMA 14-50)

• Lectron$259.99In stockchecked 2 Nov 2026Go to Lectron (opens in a new tab)

Prices and stock change; the retailer’s page is always the final word.

Driving a 2022–2025 Rivian R1T or R1S? Rivian’s own Portable Charger (J1772) is made for Rivian vehicles only, so it isn’t a pick here.

Using a portable charger safely

• Use a sound outlet. Tesla and Pion forbid damaged, loose or worn outlets. Push the plug all the way in: Pion warns that a plug that isn’t fully in can overheat.
• Take heat at the plug seriously. Tesla’s and Pion’s cords flash a red code and slow or stop when the wall plug runs hot, and Lectron’s stops until it cools. Each manual points to the outlet: stop using it until an electrician has checked it.
• Leave it plugged in at home. Tesla and Rivian recommend leaving the cord in the wall outlet to cut wear from daily plugging. Never pull the wall plug while the car is charging: end the session and unplug from the car first.
• Keep the box up and the plug dry. Tesla wants its controller at least 18 in (46 cm) above the floor. Don’t plug in or unplug where the outlet is under water or snow; if it is already plugged in, switch off the breaker first.
• Check the listing for your country. In the US, look for the mark of an OSHA-recognized lab (UL, Intertek’s ETL, CSA and others). In Canada, Ontario’s ESA and Technical Safety BC require a Canadian mark such as CSA, cUL or cETL, and ESA says a mark on a component, such as the handle, doesn’t approve the whole charger.
• Car-side adapters are different. A J1772–NACS adapter must be certified to UL 2252 and allowed by your car maker; some supplied with cars are DC-only. See our NACS vs J1772 guide.

How to choose a portable EV charger

• As your everyday home charger. On a sound 14-50 that is on the right circuit, a 40 A cord left plugged in does the job of a wall unit. If you need a new 240 V circuit anyway, compare Level 2 wall chargers and the best home EV chargers.
• If you rent. A cord needs no wiring and moves with you. A new outlet needs your landlord’s consent, though as of November 2026 California and Colorado limit refusals, per the Department of Energy’s laws database. See how to get a home charger installed.
• For trips. A dual-voltage cord (the Pion, Tesla’s or Lectron’s Level 1 and 2) charges slowly from any 120 V outlet you are welcome to use. Inspect the connector and adapter before each use, as Tesla advises.
• Budget tiers. Under $275 gets you a single-plug 40 A cord for a 14-50, with no app. $275–$400 adds a 120 V plug, app control on some models, or a carmaker’s own cord. These are US dollars; Canadian prices run higher in CAD, and the price boxes show each store and the date we checked.

For the circuit and breaker each current needs, see 32, 40 or 48 amps: which charger and breaker. Tesla owners weighing a wall unit: see the best Tesla and NACS home chargers or every Tesla and NACS charger we track.

How we chose these

1. Started from the outlet: which plugs each cord takes and what current its manual allows on each.
2. Compared the manuals and spec sheets for the six portable chargers we track.
3. Checked the safety listing each maker states, and whether it covers Canada.
4. Checked prices at the makers’ own stores, and show the date we checked.
5. Read owner forum posts for reported problems, and say when there are too few to judge.

What we don’t do: lab-test or install chargers. We report what the manuals and the code sources say, and leave the wiring to a licensed electrician.

Our full method

Portable EV charger questions

Can I use an extension cord with a portable EV charger?

No. Every manual we read forbids extension cords, and Tesla and Pion also forbid power strips, multi-outlet adapters and conversion plugs. Tesla adds that its plug adapters must never go into outlets they weren’t designed for. If the cable doesn’t reach, park closer or have an electrician install a receptacle where you park.

Can I charge from my dryer outlet?

Only with a plug or adapter for that receptacle from the charger’s maker, at the current its manual sets: Tesla’s 14-30 adapter draws 24 A. The Lectron and Pion cords here have no dryer-outlet plug, and their manuals forbid adapters between plug and wall. Never use a splitter or homemade adapter, and have an electrician confirm the circuit first.

Which portable chargers are certified for Canada?

Of our picks, only the Pion Power Flex-AC Elite has a stated Canadian mark (CSA). Lectron states ETL but not whether it covers Canada, and Tesla’s Mobile Connector was tested to the Canadian standard without a Canadian mark we could confirm. ENERGY STAR lists all five for Canada, but that is an efficiency listing, not a safety mark: check the label for CSA, cUL or cETL. For Canadian-certified wall units, see EV chargers for cold climates and Canada.

Do portable chargers qualify for rebates?

Rarely. As of November 2026, BC’s CleanBC home charger rebate requires a permanently installed charger, and the US federal 30C credit ended for chargers placed in service after June 30, 2026. Utility programs set their own rules, so check the program’s page before you buy. Our 2026 rebate guide lists current programs.