For most single-car garages, order the 25 ft. The cable on the EV-ACS4005T starts at the outlet, not at a wallbox, so what matters is the run from your NEMA 14-50 outlet to the car’s charge port. The 28 ft version earns its place when that run is long — across a two-car garage, or to a port on the far side of the car. Because the cable is part of the unit, the choice is made once, when you order.
Key Takeaways
- The 25 ft and 28 ft EV-ACS4005T are the same 9.6 kW charger; only the cable differs.
- Measure from the outlet to the farthest real port position, along the cable’s actual path, and keep slack in hand.
- Two-car garages and far-side ports are the usual reasons to order the 28 ft.
- The choice is fixed at order time — when the tape measure is close, take the longer cable.
Same Charger, Two Cables
The two versions are the same portable charger: 40 A maximum, 9.6 kW, current adjustable between 16 A and 40 A, a 1.77-inch display, an IP66 enclosure and a NEMA 14-50P plug. Only the cable differs, by 3 ft — just under a metre. Nothing about charging speed, settings or weather rating changes between them, which makes this a pure geometry decision: measure your space honestly and the answer usually picks itself. Our general EV charger cable length guide covers how to choose a length across charger types; this page is only about the choice between this model’s two.
Measure From the Outlet
A portable charger’s geometry is anchored at the receptacle. The unit plugs in, sits near the outlet, and the cable runs from there to the car — so measure from the outlet’s position, along the path the cable will really take, to the farthest port position you will actually use. Three allowances come out of the nominal length: the drop from the outlet and the unit down to floor level, the slack the cable needs so it arrives unpulled at the connector, and the routing around the car’s corners. A run that measures exactly 25 ft on paper is a 28 ft order in practice.
| Your layout | Order | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Outlet on the wall beside or behind the parking spot, port on the near side | 25 ft | A short, mostly straight run with slack to spare |
| Two-car garage, outlet on one side, both cars charge from it | 28 ft | The far car’s port is the deciding measurement |
| Car parks nose-in and the port sits at the far rear corner | 28 ft | The cable has to travel the length of the car plus its drop and slack |
| Port near the front, outlet within a few feet of the parking spot | 25 ft | Extra cable would only be extra cable to coil |
What the Extra 3 ft Costs You
Length is not free, even when the price difference is small. A portable charger travels and gets stored: the longer cable is more to coil after every session, more to pack into the car, and more to leave lying across a garage floor where it can be stepped on or driven over. If your measured run fits the 25 ft with slack in hand, the shorter cable is the tidier tool for the same 9.6 kW. The 28 ft is insurance against a fixed outlet position — worth buying when the measurement says so, not as a default. How far a portable charger’s speed depends on the outlet behind it is covered in our explainer on whether portable EV chargers work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I swap to the other cable length later?
No. The cable is built into the unit, so the length is fixed at order time. If a run turns out too long for the cable you bought, the fixes are moving the outlet (an electrician’s job) or changing where the car parks — never an extension cord, which is not made for hours of continuous charging current.
Does the 28 ft version charge more slowly?
No. Both versions carry the same ratings — up to 40 A and 9.6 kW, with the same adjustable settings. Length changes reach, not output.
Which length suits a driveway, with the outlet inside the garage?
Measure to the car’s port in its driveway position, including the run out of the garage. That layout consumes cable quickly, and it is the most common reason the 28 ft is the right order.
Related Reading
- EV Charger Cable Length Guide: 5 m, 7.5 m or Longer?
- Do Portable EV Chargers Work? How Speed Depends on the Outlet
- What Is a NEMA 14-50 Outlet? A Guide for EV Owners
