

CHARGEPOINT VS JUICEBOX PLUS
The Chargepoint Home Flex and Wallbox Pulsar and Pulsar Plus also has this capability. Juicebox offers some of the most sophisticated programs in this regard. This may require WiFi connectivity, but if your EV charger location is close to your home WiFi, it’s great functionality to have. Some EV chargers have the “brains” and connectivity to not only schedule your charging to fit those cheap times of day, but receive signals from utilities to further optimize your charging (with your permission). However In some places now, and probably many more in the future, utilities will make it even cheaper - or even pay you - for modifying charging patterns at specific times when electricity demand is outstripping supply. You can set this from the car or the charger. You’ll want to make sure you’re only charging at the low-priced hours (if not, you might end up paying as much for fuel as it’d cost to drive on gas - ugh!).

That’s called Time of Day or Time of Use billing and it’s becoming more common across the country. You may have noticed your electric bill getting more complicated, with different electricity prices at different times of day. But here’s what the more sophisticated chargers can do for you: Smart Charging Are these worth it? Every charger will work with your car and all the major brands are similarly constructed. When you shop for chargers, you may see budget options as well as chargers that are a little more expensive but promise more features. Is it worth paying more for a more sophisticated home charger? So you may want to be able to fully charge in fewer hours in the middle of the night.įor this reason, we recommend opting for higher amperage chargers when there is sufficient electrical service on your electrical panel to accommodate this (if you’re not sure, this is where a licensed electrician is essential).

And most days, you probably will only be partially refilling your battery - say from 60% to 100%. The slower charge might work fine - because if you plug in at 8pm, you might not care if your car is fully charged by 3am as long as it’s ready by 6am. Other EV’s will be roughly similar depending on battery size.) With 60 amps, this would be closer to 7 hours. For example, if you have an Audi Q4 e-Tron, it will take about 10 hours to go from 0% to 100% battery with a 32 amp charger. If you opt up to a higher amperage charger, you’ll charge slightly faster.

Is it worth paying more for higher amperage? Wallbox and Juicebox, plus the Tesla Wall Connector, also offer up to 48 amps. Different EV chargers have different maximum speeds, measured in amperage.įor example, the Chargepoint Home Flex can operate at a range of 16 amps all the way up to 50 amps. Instead of 8-12 amps from a normal outlet, an EV charger runs at 32 amps or more. Charging Speed & AmperageĪn EV charger fills your EV battery quickly by operating at higher voltage and amperage than is possible from a normal outlet. Tesla is the only electric car with a different charger port design, but adapters are available for the standard charging type (called “J1772”). Here’s some good news: no matter which one you choose, it’ll work for any future electric car you purchase. Here’s a rundown of the key features - including some things you may not have realized an EV charger could do : Chargers from companies like Chargepoint, JuiceBox, WallBox and newer companies like DcBel and Span are rapidly advancing. Some EV chargers can do even more than that.
CHARGEPOINT VS JUICEBOX INSTALL
Which EV Charger should I install at my home?Īn EV charger at home gives you an incredible superpower: a “full tank” every morning.
