A 48 A charger needs wire rated for a 60 A circuit, because the National Electrical Code treats EV charging as a continuous load and sizes the breaker at 125% of the charger’s current. For that circuit, copper is the standard choice, and 6 AWG copper is the typical run. Aluminium can do the same job at a larger size. The metal changes the cable size, the terminations and the quote — here is how it plays out for the EV-ACT5006T 48A Level 2 wall charger.
Key Takeaways
- A 48 A charger needs conductors rated for a 60 A circuit; the metal is chosen inside that requirement.
- Copper is the default: 6 AWG typical, standard terminations, no special hardware.
- Aluminium works at a larger size, and its terminations — not the cable — decide whether the job is a good one.
- Old aluminium branch wiring in an existing home is a different subject from a new aluminium run; do not mix them up.
The Circuit Comes First, the Metal Second
Wire size follows the breaker, not the charger badge. A 48 A charger on a 60 A breaker needs conductors rated for that 60 A circuit, whatever they are made of. Our general guide to what size wire an EV charger needs gives the full copper chart; the breaker sizing guide walks through the 125% rule. The metal decision comes after those numbers are fixed: both metals must meet the same rating, at different sizes. The ACT5006T is set to its circuit at installation, so charger, breaker and wire are matched as one job.
Copper vs Aluminium, Side by Side
| Question | Copper | Aluminium |
|---|---|---|
| Size for a 60 A rating | 6 AWG is the typical run | A larger gauge for the same rating; the exact size is the electrician’s call under the NEC |
| Where you usually meet it | Branch circuits like this charger run | Service entrances and feeders; some larger circuits |
| Terminations | Standard breaker and charger lugs are rated for it | Needs aluminium-rated lugs and careful termination; the connection is the weak point |
| Cost shape | Metal costs more per metre | Metal usually costs less, but fittings and labour can narrow the gap |
Copper is the default for practical reasons: it reaches the rating at a smaller size, it fits standard breaker and charger terminals without special hardware, and electricians work with it daily. Aluminium conducts less per unit of area, so the conductor grows to carry the same current — which is why it appears most often where the run is big and the material saving is real.
Where aluminium earns its caution is at the ends. Its terminations depend on lugs rated for the metal, the correct compound and properly torqued connections, because the joint is where aluminium installations succeed or fail. A quote in aluminium should name that hardware; if it does not, ask.
The Aluminium Already in Older Homes Is a Different Question
A new aluminium run, chosen and terminated for this circuit, is not the same thing as the aluminium branch wiring fitted in some homes decades ago. That older wiring raises questions about existing small circuits and their connections, and deserves an electrician’s look before any charger is added. A correctly sized, correctly terminated aluminium feeder installed today is a separate, legitimate use of the metal. The two share a word and nothing else.
The Charger at the End of the Run
The EV-ACT5006T delivers up to 48 A (11.5–12 kW), hard-wired or through a NEMA 14-50P plug, with a 7.6 m NACS cable and IP65/IP66 sealing. Hard-wired, it sits on the 60 A circuit this article is about; plugged in, on the receptacle’s 50 A circuit, with the same logic at that rating — our hardwired vs plug-in comparison covers that choice. Either way, the metal decision changes the run, not the charger: tell your electrician which connection you want, and let them spec the metal to suit. The full EVDANCE product range shows the other ratings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is aluminium wire allowed for a 48 A charger circuit?
Yes, when sized and terminated for the 60 A circuit under the NEC: conductors rated for the load, lugs rated for aluminium, termination done to the lug maker’s spec. Your electrician confirms all three.
Why do two quotes for the same charger use different metals?
Because installed price is metal plus fittings plus labour: aluminium lowers the material line but adds termination hardware and care; copper costs more as a metal, less as a job. Ask each quoter which metal and size the price assumes.
Can I specify the wire myself to save money?
Sizing and termination are licensed work, and the wrong call fails inspection or worse. Ask for the run priced both ways and choose between two compliant options instead.
Related Reading
- What Size Wire Do You Need for an EV Charger?
- How Is an EV Charger Wired? A Plain-English Overview
- What Size Breaker Do I Need for an EV Charger?
- What Wire and Breaker Does a Tesla Wall Connector Need?
