Here's What You Need to Know About NEMA 14-50 and the Pando Smart Outlet

If you’re new to owning an EV—or thinking about making the switch—you’ve probably asked a simple question: “Can I charge my car from a regular outlet?”

The short answer? Yes. But the long answer is a lot more interesting—and it’s exactly why we built thePando Smart Outlet.

What Is a NEMA 14-50 Outlet?

The NEMA 14-50 is a 240V outlet, originally designed for large appliances like ovens and RVs. Over time, it’s become the most popular EV charging outlet in North America—especially for homeowners and now, multifamily properties.

• Power output: Up to 40 amps

• Charging speed: Approximately 25 miles of range per hour (Level 2)

• Compatible with: Tesla, Rivian, Ford, Kia, and most major EVs

It’s simple, powerful, and doesn’t require the complexity of a traditional “smart charger” (more on that in a minute).

The Problem: NEMA 14-50 Wasn’t Built for Multifamily or Commercial Use

While the NEMA 14-50 is popular, it was never designed for scale. You can’t easily track usage, manage energy loads, or bill tenants. Property managers don’t want to run power to a dozen of these outlets with no way to control who’s using them—or how much they’re using.

That’s why Pando built thePando Smart Outlet—the first and only affordable, high-power EV smart outlet built specifically for multifamily, workplace, and fleet charging.

What Makes the Pando Smart Outlet Different?

We took the simplicity of a NEMA 14-50 and made it smarter, safer, and scalable:

• Up to 70% cheaper to install than typical EV charging stations

• Tap-and-Charge technology with secure driver authentication

• Adaptive Load Management to protect your building's electrical panel

• Daisy-chaining support: connect multiple chargers to a single circuit

• Works with J1772 or NACS (Tesla-style) connectors

It’s all the benefits of a Level 2 charger—without the costs, headaches, or maintenance.

Why This Matters for Apartments, Condos, and Workplaces

Most EV charging solutions weren’t designed for the real world—especially not the shared, budget-constrained world of multifamily housing.

With Pando, we’ve reimagined the NEMA 14-50 outlet into something smarter:

• Affordable enough to scale across entire parking garages

• Smart enough to monitor, bill, and control each session

• Flexible enough to grow as EV adoption increases

So... Can I Charge from an Outlet?

Yes—but it depends onwhich outlet.

If you're a homeowner with a garage, a basic NEMA 14-50 might be enough. But if you're managing a property, workplace, or fleet? You need more control. More intelligence. And more scalability.

That’s where thePando Smart Outlet comes in.

Join the Conversation

Have questions about outlet-based EV charging? Wondering how to bring EV charging to your building without breaking the bank?

Leave a comment, share your experience, or reach out to our team. We’re here to make EV charging smarter—for everyone.