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Lectron

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Lectron
TypePrivate
IndustryElectric vehicle charging equipment
Foundedc. 2017 (EV charging products first marketed)
FounderChristopher Maiwald
HeadquartersLos Angeles, California, U.S.
ProductsEV charging adapters (NACS, CCS, J1772); portable chargers; Level 2 home charging stations; jump starters
Websitehttps://lectron.com/

Lectron is an American company that develops electric-vehicle (EV) charging equipment, including charging adapters, portable chargers, and Level 2 home charging stations.[1] [2] The company sells products directly to consumers and also supplies charging adapters to automakers; independent reporting has described it as one of the largest producers of NACS-to-CCS fast-charging adapters aside from Tesla, supplying automakers including Ford, General Motors, and Mercedes-Benz. [1] [3] Lectron was founded by Christopher Maiwald, who serves as chief executive officer, and has marketed EV charging products since 2017.[1] Its products became widely used as Tesla opened its Supercharger network to non-Tesla vehicles, a transition that created demand for adapters between the Combined Charging System (CCS) and North American Charging Standard (NACS) connectors.[1] [4]

Company press releases give the company's location as Los Angeles, California, while Car and Driver has reported that Lectron adapters ship from Shakopee, Minnesota.[4]Third-party coverage dates the company's first EV charging products to 2017, while the company's own materials describe more than a decade of operation.[1][5]

History

Lectron was selling EV charging products, including a J1772-to-Tesla adapter for Level 2 charging, by 2022, when the adapter was reviewed by Popular Mechanics. [6] The company's business expanded after 2023, when Ford became the first major automaker to adopt Tesla's NACS connector and gain access to the Tesla Supercharger network, followed by other manufacturers. [3] [7] Tesla did not initially produce enough NACS-to-CCS adapters to meet automaker demand, which created an opening for Lectron, an established aftermarket producer, to become an OEM supplier.[1]

In 2024, Ford partnered with Lectron to co-develop a Ford-branded NACS-to-CCS adapter based on Lectron's existing Vortex adapter, and Lectron produced roughly 140,000 free adapters that Ford shipped to its EV customers in the United States.[7] [8] To meet demand, Lectron said in November 2024 that it had increased production of its NACS-to-CCS adapter to about 12,000 units per week. [9] By April 2025, the company reported having shipped roughly 200,000 NACS-to-CCS adapters, and by late 2025 it reported almost 400,000 shipped directly to consumers.[10][1]

Products

Lectron's product line centers on EV charging adapters that bridge the three main U.S. charging standards: NACS (formally SAE J3400), CCS, and J1772.[11] Its adapters include the Vortex and Vortex Plus NACS-to-CCS units, which allow CCS-equipped vehicles to charge at Tesla Superchargers, along with CCS-to-NACS and AC adapters.[12][11] In February 2026, Lectron said its AC and DC adapters supporting NACS, CCS, and J1772 had achieved UL 2252 certification, a safety standard for EV charging adapters; the company's DC fast-charging adapters had earlier been described as the first widely available adapters to pass UL 2252 testing. 12 [13][11]

Beyond adapters, Lectron produces portable Level 1 and Level 2 chargers and Level 2 home charging stations, including the V-Box Pro and, in 2026, the NEXUS charging station, which launched at $399.99.[14][15][2] In 2025 the company introduced a line of Wi-Fi-connected smart chargers paired with a companion mobile app for scheduling and monitoring charging.[14] In 2024 it launched Lectron Care, an extended-warranty program,[16] and in June 2026 it announced a portable jump starter, marking an expansion beyond EV charging into broader automotive power products.[17] A portable Lectron charger was named the best portable EV charger in a 2026 New York Times Wirecutter guide to home EV chargers.[18]

In May 2024, Lectron recalled about 1,624 units of its Vortex Plug NACS-to-CCS adapter after the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that a latch pin on the affected units could allow the charging cable to detach during a session, increasing the risk of electric shock.[19] The company replaced the affected adapters at no cost with units using a redesigned latch pin, and later adapter versions, including automaker co-developed models, incorporated an additional interlock pin intended to prevent disconnection while charging.[19][3]

OEM partnerships and manufacturing

Lectron operates both as a direct-to-consumer brand and as an OEM supplier that co-develops and manufactures charging adapters for automakers.[1] In addition to Ford, the company has supplied or co-developed adapters for General Motors and Mercedes-Benz, and later reporting associated Lectron with adapters for Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche.[1][20] Adapters built for automakers are engineered to more stringent durability requirements than the aftermarket versions, according to the company; Maiwald has said automaker programs required changes such as stainless-steel latches and interlock designs, along with validation testing including drop, temperature, and water-ingress tests.[3]

Lectron's charging products are manufactured in China, and in 2025 the company said it planned to move some production to Vietnam; Maiwald said U.S. tariffs on Chinese and Vietnamese goods could raise costs.[10] Reporting on a 2026 tour of a Lectron contract-manufacturing facility in southeastern China described a highly automated assembly and validation process, including automated torque fastening, leak testing, and environmental and durability testing of finished units.[15][2] The company says it designs its own printed circuit board assemblies and produces its NACS connectors in-house.[2][15]

Lectron states that more than one million customers have bought its products and that roughly one in five EV owners in North America use Lectron products; the share of EV owners cited in the company's materials rose from about 15 percent in 2024 to one in five by 2026.[5][13] Independent reporting has described Lectron as one of the largest suppliers of NACS-to-CCS adapters apart from Tesla.[10][1]

Leadership

Christopher Maiwald is Lectron's founder and chief executive officer.[1] German Chan serves as chief operating officer,[15] and Jake Glibbery is the company's chief marketing officer.[21]

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Collins, Andrew (November 7, 2025). "Tesla Didn't Make Enough Charging Adapters, So This Company Stepped In To Get Other Cars on NACS". The Drive.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 VanderWerp, Dave (June 19, 2026). "We Tour a Facility in China to See How EV Charging Equipment Is Made". Car and Driver.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Kothari, Suvrat (April 10, 2025). "Ford's Tesla Charging Adapter: The Fascinating Tech That Powers It". InsideEVs.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Irwin, Austin (September 18, 2024). "Tested: Best NACS-to-CCS Adapters". Car and Driver.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "About Lectron". Lectron.
  6. ↑ Crisara, Matt (March 23, 2022). "You Can Power Any EV at Tesla's Charging Points With This Adapter". Popular Mechanics.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Kane, Mark (March 18, 2025). "Exclusive: Ford And Lectron Talk About Their Tesla Supercharger Adapter". EVChargingStations.com.
  8. ↑ Kane, Mark (December 19, 2024). "Checking Out Ford's New Co-Engineered Lectron NACS-to-CCS1 Adapter". EVChargingStations.com.
  9. ↑ "Lectron Ramps Up NACS to CCS Adapter Production to 12,000 units per Week" (Press release). PR Newswire. November 19, 2024.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Kothari, Suvrat (April 9, 2025). "Lectron's Tesla Supercharger Adapter May Be In Big Trouble". InsideEVs.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Lectron's full EV charging adapter lineup earns UL 2252 certification". Charged EVs. February 19, 2026.
  12. ↑ Doll, Scooter (May 7, 2025). "Lectron's Vortex NACS to CCS adapter is a simple tool to access Tesla's Supercharger network". Electrek.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Lectron NACS, CCS, and J1772 Adapters Achieve UL 2252 Certification" (Press release). PR Newswire. February 18, 2026.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Lectron Unveils Smart WiFi EV Chargers". The EV Report. June 18, 2025.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 Kane, Mark (June 16, 2026). "Watch Lectron Factory Tour With State of Charge". EVChargingStations.com.
  16. ↑ "Lectron Launches 'Lectron Care': New Extended Warranty Program" (Press release). PR Newswire. August 27, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Lectron Expands Power Portfolio with Launch of 4000A Portable Jump Starter" (Press release). PR Newswire. June 25, 2026.
  18. ↑ Witman, Sarah (April 16, 2026). "The Best Electric Vehicle Chargers for Home". Wirecutter. New York Times.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Dnistran, Iulian (May 8, 2024). "Lectron NACS To CCS1 Adapter Recalled Because It Could Unlatch While Charging". InsideEVs.
  20. ↑ Weintraub, Seth (September 5, 2025). "Porsche EVs get Tesla Supercharger access via adapter". Electrek.
  21. ↑ Glibbery, Jake (April 1, 2026). "DC Fast-Charging Adapters Are a Transition Strategy, Not a Stopgap". Tech Briefs.
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