Safe
21
Best Power Stations for Level 1 EV Charger
We tested 33 portable power stations against the EV Charger (Level 1, 120V) (1440W running / 1440W surge). 23 passed our True Surge protocol — 70% compatibility rate.
Tight
2
With Soft-Starter
0
Incompatible
10
○ Device source: Engineering Est.
Derived from variant list (max of variants). All three variants draw 12A @ 120V = 1440W. Level 1 EVSEs are pass-through devices — the 12A limit is set by NEC 80% continuous rule on a 15A circuit (NEMA 5-15).
Our Top Picks
21 compatible models rankedRanked by value, balance, and endurance from 21 compatible generators.
Best Budget & Overall Safe
DELTA 2
Running 1,800W
Surge 2,700W
Capacity 1,024 Wh
Weight 26.5 lbs (12.0 kg)
Carry One-person carry
Runtime 0.5h
Best Runtime Safe
Delta Pro Ultra
Running 6,000W
Surge 12,000W
Capacity 6,144 Wh
Weight 182.1 lbs (82.6 kg)
Carry Two-person recommended
Runtime 3h
#3 Overall Safe
DELTA 3 Plus
Running 1,800W
Surge 3,600W
Capacity 1,024 Wh
Weight 27.6 lbs (12.5 kg)
Carry One-person carry
Runtime 0.5h
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Our methodology
Runtime at a glance
How long each station runs a Level 1 EV Charger on a single charge (after 0.70 real-world derate)
Delta Pro Ultra X 6,144 Wh 3h
Delta Pro Ultra 6,144 Wh 3h
Zendure SuperBase V4600 4,608 Wh 2.2h
DELTA Pro 3 4,096 Wh 2h
Yeti Pro 4000 3,993.6 Wh 1.9h
Anker SOLIX F3800 3,840 Wh 1.9h
Delta Pro 3,600 Wh 1.8h
Pecron E3600LFP 3,072 Wh 1.5h
Safe
Showing top 8 by runtime. See full table below for all 23 stations.
What to Know About the EV Charger (Level 1, 120V)
Power Profile
Running load: 1440 W (12A at 120V — the maximum continuous draw on a standard 120V outlet per NEC 80% rule). Surge: 1440 W (no inrush — EVSEs are pass-through devices). Voltage: 120 V AC required. All Level 1 EVSEs draw the same 1440W regardless of brand.
Real-World Usage
Draws a perfectly flat 1440W for the entire charging session. Provides 2-5 miles of range per hour depending on vehicle. An 8-hour overnight session consumes 11,520 Wh — far more than most portable power stations can deliver.
Pro Tip
Level 1 EV charging on a portable power station is strictly an emergency strategy. The math is simple: 1440W continuous means even a large 4 kWh station provides under 2 hours of charging. Useful to reach the nearest public charger, not for daily use.
Full Compatibility Matrix
All 33 generators tested against the EV Charger (Level 1, 120V) (1440W / 1440W).
| Power Station | Running W | Surge W | Capacity | Weight | Verdict | Runtime | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Pro Ultra X | 12,000 | 24,000 | 6,144 Wh | 187.4 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 3h | View |
| Delta Pro Ultra | 6,000 | 12,000 | 6,144 Wh | 182.1 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 3h | View |
| Zendure SuperBase V4600 | 3,800 | 3,800 | 4,608 Wh | 121.3 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 2.2h | View |
| DELTA Pro 3 | 4,000 | 8,000 | 4,096 Wh | 113.5 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 2h | View |
| Yeti Pro 4000 | 3,600 | 7,200 | 3,993.6 Wh | 115.7 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 1.9h | View |
| Anker SOLIX F3800 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 3,840 Wh | 132.3 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 1.9h | View |
| Delta Pro | 3,600 | 7,200 | 3,600 Wh | 99.2 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 1.8h | View |
| Pecron E3600LFP | 3,600 | 7,000 | 3,072 Wh | 79.4 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 1.5h | View |
| Explorer 3000 Pro | 3,000 | 6,000 | 3,024 Wh | 63.9 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 1.5h | View |
| Elite 200 V2 | 2,600 | 3,600 | 2,073 Wh | 53.4 lbs Heavy carry | Safe | 1h | View |
| AC200L | 2,400 | 3,600 | 2,048 Wh | 62.4 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 1h | View |
| AC200MAX | 2,200 | 4,800 | 2,048 Wh | 61.9 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 1h | View |
| DELTA 2 Max | 2,400 | 4,800 | 2,048 Wh | 50.7 lbs Heavy carry | Safe | 1h | View |
| Explorer 2000 Plus | 3,000 | 6,000 | 2,042 Wh | 61.5 lbs Two-person recommended | Safe | 1h | View |
| Explorer 2000 v2 | 2,200 | 4,400 | 2,042 Wh | 39.5 lbs One-person carry | Safe | 1h | View |
| Yeti 1500X | 2,000 | 3,500 | 1,516 Wh | 45.6 lbs Heavy carry | Safe | 0.7h | View |
| DELTA (Gen 1) | 1,800 | 3,300 | 1,260 Wh | 30.9 lbs One-person carry | Safe | 0.6h | View |
| AC180 | 1,800 | 2,700 | 1,152 Wh | 36.2 lbs One-person carry | Safe | 0.6h | View |
| SOLIX C1000 | 1,800 | 2,400 | 1,056 Wh | 28.4 lbs One-person carry | Safe | 0.5h | View |
| DELTA 2 | 1,800 | 2,700 | 1,024 Wh | 26.5 lbs One-person carry | Safe | 0.5h | View |
| DELTA 3 Plus | 1,800 | 3,600 | 1,024 Wh | 27.6 lbs One-person carry | Safe | 0.5h | View |
| Explorer 1000 v2 | 1,500 | 3,000 | 1,070 Wh | 23.8 lbs One-person carry | Tight | 0.5h | View |
| VTOMAN Jump 1500X | 1,500 | 3,000 | 828 Wh | 36.2 lbs One-person carry | Tight | 0.4h | View |
| SOLIX C800 Plus | 1,200 | 1,600 | 768 Wh | 24.0 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| AC70 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 768 Wh | 22.5 lbs One-person carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| RIVER 2 Pro | 800 | 1,600 | 768 Wh | 18.3 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| Explorer 500 | 500 | 1,000 | 518.4 Wh | 13.2 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| RIVER 2 Max | 500 | 1,000 | 512 Wh | 13.4 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| SOLIX C300 | 300 | 300 | 288 Wh | 9.0 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| Explorer 300 Plus | 300 | 600 | 288 Wh | 8.4 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| EB3A | 600 | 1,200 | 268.8 Wh | 10.1 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| RIVER 2 | 300 | 600 | 256 Wh | 7.7 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
| RIVER 3 | 300 | 600 | 245 Wh | 7.7 lbs Easy carry | Fail | N/A | View |
Model Variants
Different models have different power requirements. Check the specific report for your exact model.
Tesla Mobile Connector Gen 2 (NEMA 5-15, 12A)
Running: 1,440W
Surge: 1,440W
Frequently Asked Questions
How many power stations can run a Level 1 EV Charger?
Out of 33 portable power stations we tested, 23 can safely run a Level 1 EV Charger (21 with full safety margin, 2 at tight margin). 10 are incompatible.
What specs should I look for to run a Level 1 EV Charger?
Your power station needs at least 1,440W continuous output and 1,440W surge capacity. We recommend a safety buffer of 15% above these minimums for reliable operation.
How do we test compatibility?
Every pairing is evaluated using our True Surge protocol: we compare OEM-verified running watts, surge watts, and voltage requirements against each power station's published specs, with load-profile-specific safety buffers applied. Read our full methodology.
Can I charge an EV on a portable power station?
Only if your power source can supply at least 1440W continuous and 1440W surge at 120V. Runtime is the real constraint — expect 2-5 miles of range per hour of charging.
Compare these models
Side-by-side comparisons for the top picks on this page.