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Emporia Level 2 EV Charger

48 amps hardwired, a 24-foot cable and a NEMA Type 4 case, for less than most of its direct competitors. Here is what that combination actually gets you.

By Sawyer V. · Published September 8, 2026

A wall-mounted Level 2 EV charger in a residential garage
Illustrative photo of a wall-mounted charger, not the Emporia unit.

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The short version: if you are buying your first home charger and your panel can carry a 60-amp circuit, this is the one we would buy. It hits the highest amperage most homes can practically use, its cable is long enough for a real garage, its enclosure is rated for outdoors, and it is UL listed and Energy Star certified.

What 48 amps actually buys you

The arithmetic

48 A x 240 V = 11,520 W = 11.5 kW

At 3.5 mi/kWh: 11.5 x 3.5 = about 40 miles of range added per hour

Over a 10-hour night: about 400 miles

Required circuit: 48 x 1.25 = 60 A (the code treats EV charging as a continuous load)

Four hundred miles overnight is more than almost anyone needs. That is not a criticism of the unit -- it is the reason the practical differences between good chargers are small, and why the questions that actually matter are cable length, connector and whether your panel can feed the circuit.

The catch worth knowing before you order

The 48-amp figure is the hardwired rating. Buy the plug-in version with the NEMA 14-50 and the unit runs at 40 amps, because a 50-amp receptacle circuit cannot support a 48-amp continuous load. That is not Emporia being stingy, it is the code, and every manufacturer faces the same limit.

So the decision here is really hardwired vs plug-in, and it is worth reading before you pick a version. The practical difference between 40 A and 48 A is about six miles of range per hour, which for most households is noise.

1. A first charger, hardwired

Emporia Level 2 EV Charger (Classic)

Emporia · J1772 · 48 A / 11.5 kW · 24 ft cable

The safe default for a first home charger: 48 amps hardwired, a genuinely long cable, a NEMA 4 outdoor-rated case, and no subscription attached to the app.

What is good

  • 48 A hardwired is the fastest tier most homes can realistically support
  • 24 ft of cable reaches across a two-car garage without a fight
  • NEMA Type 4 enclosure is rated for outdoor mounting
  • Energy monitoring in the app with no subscription

What is not

  • Drops to 40 A if you use the NEMA 14-50 plug rather than hardwiring
  • The app is the only way to change the amperage setting
Published specifications for the Emporia Level 2 EV Charger (Classic)
Maximum output48 A / 11.5 kW at 240 V (hardwired)
Plug-in output40 A with the NEMA 14-50 plug
ConnectorSAE J1772
Cable24 ft
EnclosureNEMA Type 4, indoor or outdoor
CertificationUL listed, Energy Star
Warranty3 years

Skip this if: Skip it if you want a unit with no app or network connection at all. The Grizzl-E Classic is the simpler machine.

Specifications above are the manufacturer’s published figures. Source: Emporia Energy. We have not tested this unit — see how we pick.

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How it compares

Against the ChargePoint Home Flex, the Emporia is simpler and the Home Flex is more adjustable -- the Flex's 16-to-50-amp range is worth real money if you do not yet know your panel's capacity. We put the two head to head in Emporia vs ChargePoint.

Against the Grizzl-E Classic, the Emporia is faster and connected; the Grizzl-E is an appliance with no app and a cast-aluminum case. Which is better depends entirely on whether you want software in this device. Emporia vs Grizzl-E works through it.

Who should not buy it

  • You want nothing networked. The amperage setting lives in the app. If that is a dealbreaker, buy the Grizzl-E.
  • Your panel cannot carry 60 amps. You would be paying for headroom you cannot use. Check with how many amps do you need first.
  • You drive a Tesla and nothing else ever will. The Tesla Wall Connector's four-year warranty is longer, and you skip the adapter.
  • You need it to be portable. This is a wall unit. Look at portable chargers instead.

FAQ

Questions people actually ask

Is the Emporia EV charger 48 amps or 40 amps?
Both, depending on version. Hardwired it runs at 48 A; with the NEMA 14-50 plug it runs at 40 A, because a 50-amp receptacle circuit cannot carry a 48-amp continuous load.
Is the Emporia charger UL listed?
Yes, and it is Energy Star certified, per Emporia's published specifications.
Can the Emporia charger be installed outside?
Yes. It carries a NEMA Type 4 enclosure rating, which covers windblown dust and hose-directed water in addition to rain and snow.
Does the Emporia charger need a subscription?
No. The app and its energy monitoring work without a subscription on Emporia's published terms.

Sources

Where these numbers come from

  1. Emporia Level 2 EV Charger specifications — Emporia EnergyOutput, connector, cable length, enclosure rating, certifications and warranty.
  2. NEC Article 625: EV charging equipment — WireRefContinuous-load rule behind the 48 A / 60 A circuit arithmetic.

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