The NEMA 6-50 outlet for EV charging

A NEMA 6-50 is a 240-volt, 50-amp receptacle with three slots: two hot and a ground. No neutral. It is the socket welders traditionally use, and several EV chargers are sold with a 6-50 plug -- the Autel MaxiCharger and Grizzl-E among them.

6-50 vs 14-50

When the 6-50 is the better choice

• Long runs. Three heavy conductors cost less than four, and on a fifty-foot run that is real money.
• You already have one. Plenty of garages have a welder outlet nobody uses.
• Your charger ships with a 6-50 plug. Several do.
• A dedicated EV circuit where nothing else will ever be plugged in. The neutral serves 120-volt loads, which a charger does not have.

When to prefer the 14-50

• You might want an RV hookup or a range on that circuit later. The 14-50 is far more versatile.
• Resale. A 14-50 is the recognized EV-charging outlet and reads as such to a buyer.
• Portable chargers. Most ship with a 14-50 plug as standard, and adapters are one more thing to lose.

One thing to avoid

Do not adapt a 14-50 plug into a 6-50 receptacle or vice versa with a homemade adapter. Commercially available, properly rated adapters exist; improvised ones connect a neutral where there is none to connect it to. If your charger's plug does not match your outlet, buy the version of the charger with the right plug.