SHOPSMART AUTOS – CUSTOMER INFORMATION – DECEMBER 18, 2020
As electric vehicles gain popularity, Consumer Reports decided to test several popular wall chargers that EV buyers might consider when purchasing a car. We also asked a focus group of EV owners about what they need and like in a home charger, known in the industry as Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE). We evaluated hardwired (permanently installed) and plug-in types, ranging in price from $300 to $700. The seven we list below performed similarly, but we learned about which features matter and which ones you might want to skip—or at least not buy as an extra. We list three staff favorites, too. Owners of pure electric cars may find it helpful to have a wall charger installed to get charging done in a few hours instead of overnight or over days. It’s possible to recharge your EV or plug-in hybrid by simply using the supplied cable that came with the car and a nearby 120-volt outlet, the typical outlet in your house or garage. For most drivers, trickling electricity overnight may be adequate for addressing the range needs of a typical commute. Plug-in hybrids, with their limited battery capacity and ability to run on gasoline, probably don’t warrant the investment in a wall charger. But for drivers who periodically use 100+ miles of range in a single day, a wall charger is a convenience and a worthwhile investment. All of the EVSEs we evaluated did the job and are weatherproof, meaning they can be installed inside a garage or outside. We favor the plug-in type because of the portability; these chargers are easy to take with you when you move or even when you’re on vacation, should you rent a home. We found that a compact design and an easy-to-manage cable that’s long enough can help optimize garage space and maximize flexibility. The ideal cable can reach to the car’s charge port whether its location on the car is front or rear, left or right. We found that a long 25-foot cable is handy. (Keep in mind that your next EV may not have the same port location.) A design that nicely integrates a hook for the unused cable portion is also convenient. An app that communicates with you is handy, too, although most EVs allow you to view charging status and get notifications through the car manufacturers’ app. In making your selection, it’s important to understand all the features and know exactly where you want to mount the charger. Functions and size are ultimately the key differentiators among the name-brand ESVEs that we assessed. And finally, don’t be swayed by the lower prices, because the cheaper EVSEs often don’t charge as quickly. The units we evaluated can be bought online at Amazon, with the exception of the Tesla unit, which is sold only by the manufacturer. They cost $300 to $700. To help guide our evaluation, we asked electric-car owners through a focus group and a survey about their home-charging concerns. Most participants were interested in convenience and usability in a charger, factoring in such things as cable management, ease of plugging/unplugging the connector, and whether or not charging resumes automatically after a power outage. With their feedback in mind, we installed each of these EVSEs to temporary walls at the Consumer Reports Auto Center and used them over the summer to charge our growing fleet of electric and plug-in hybrid test cars.Make It A Champion Day!
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