Complete review of the EvoCharge home EV charger

If you’ve bought an electric vehicle (EV) recently or are considering one, you’re not alone! According to McKinsey, if EV sales continue on their current trajectory, they are likely to account for over half of U.S. passenger vehicle sales by 2030. Having an EV charger at home allows you to more efficiently and quickly charge your EV at home while managing and monitoring your charging and energy usage. (Bonus: if you have solar, you can power your car with the sun!)

EvoCharge is a well-known manufacturer in the home EV charging space with two models of EV chargers that you can install. Founded in 2009, EvoCharge is a leading provider of EV home charging solutions and cable management systems in North America. In this article, we’ll cover EvoCharge’s standard electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) and the iEVSE Home chargers.

Before diving into EvoCharge EV chargers specifically, it’s important to understand the different levels of charging you can complete at home and how they vary. A Level 1 charger just uses a standard outlet at your home, so all you’ll need is a standard 120-volt wall outlet with a J1772 connector. However, this is very slow, only adding approximately 2-5 miles per hour to your range. An EVSE is a Level 2 charger: the standard for home EV charging. It allows you to charge much more quickly than a Level 1 charger, providing up to 32 miles of range per hour, depending on which EV you own.

EvoCharge offers two Level 2, 240V flexible amperage home EV chargers. It comes with an 18- or 25-foot charging cable and is easy for an electrician to help you install indoors or outdoors.

Key features of EvoCharge EV chargers

Wiring and EV compatibility

The EvoCharge home EV chargers are compatible with all EV models as long as they can charge with a J1772 charge plug, which most EVs today have other than Teslas. However, Teslas come with a J1772 adapter, so you can still charge your Tesla with this common Level 2 charge plug.

Convenience

The EVSE home charger can adapt and be used with most homes’ electrical systems. Depending on your available space, it can be installed against a wall or on a pedestal. It also has customizable power levels (16A and 24A) on a range of circuit breakers and is versatile enough to install indoors or outdoors in most homes, apartments, and condo complexes. (Keep in mind that if you live in a multi-unit complex, you will need to confirm with your HOA or complex that you can install an EV charger at your parking spot). EvoCharge also offers chargers specific to apartment and condo complexes. The EVSE’s cable is lightweight and available in 18- or 25 foot options, providing flexibility in where you install it – whether in your garage, carport, or parking garage.

You can also add extended and/or retractable options for the cable with the EvoCharge EvoReel and EV Cable Retractor. The EvoReel allows you to extend to an adjustable stop point of 22 feet with an 8 feet minimum length off the reel or 30 feet with a 16 feet min length off the reel. While these are nice add-ons, it does cost $1,320 to buy the EvoReel and $475 for the EV Cable Retractor.

If you have two EVs to charge but don’t have enough power for multiple electrical circuits, you are also able to connect multiple EvoCharge iEVSE Home chargers to share power from one circuit while sufficiently charging your vehicles and control how much electrical load is applied to the circuit from the chargers.

Connectivity

The EvoCharge iEVSE Home smart EV charger lets you easily setup and manage your charging using your home Wi-Fi network.

Warranty

The EVSE and iEVSE Home have a three-year equipment warranty, and the EvoReel has a three-year warranty.

The EvoCharge app

The iEVSE Home uses the EvoCharge app, which is available on iOs or Google Play to manage and monitor your EV charging. The app allows you to manage and schedule charge times, track history and usage, manage multiple charging stations, add multiple users, estimate your charging session costs, and get easy access to technical support if needed.

In addition to the app, there’s also a web portal for the iEVSE charger. It has all the same features as the mobile app, plus you can download charging data to an Excel file if you want to dig into your charging data.

The EvoCharge EVSE costs $568-$599, and the iEVSE Home costs $679-$699. Keep in mind that you’ll also have EV charger installation costs, as you’ll want a trusted, licensed, and experienced electrician to ensure your charger is correctly installed. According to Qmerit, most standard EV home charger installations cost between $799 and $1,999 (excluding the equipment itself). Additionally, depending on your home’s electrical panel, floor plan, and wiring, you may need additional wiring, which could increase your costs.

Overall, EvoCharge chargers are popular among EV drivers because of their various customizable features, such as cable length and circuit breaker amps. However, the standard model is non-networked, and the charging speed is slightly slower than several competitors.

One of the nice things about driving an EV compared to gas-powered vehicles (outside of avoiding the rising gas prices!) is that you can plug your car in overnight to charge and usually wake up to a full – or nearly full – charge. That said, the speed of your EV charger is helpful to know and consider. The EvoCharge EV home charger can provide up to 32 miles of range per hour, with up to 7.68 kW / 32A output, depending on your specific EV’s make and model.

Your EvoCharge charger can charge at different speeds depending on a few factors, including:

• Your home’s circuit breaker output: higher output capabilities means quicker charging.

• Energy use: power may be limited at certain times because of other energy use in your home – limited usage equals slower charging

• The specific make, model, and options of your EV: bigger batteries will take longer to charge, efficiency varies by EV, and different EVs have different onboard charging capabilities, which will impact the charging speed

• The age of your EV’s battery: over time, your battery will degrade, and its discharge rate (battery capacity / number of hours it takes to charge) will decrease

EvoCharge offers a charging calculator to estimate your EV’s charging speed.

As with any EV charger, you’ll want to get a licensed electrician to install your EvoCharge EVSE or iEVSE Home and ensure any additional supporting electrical work is covered, such as added wiring or upgrades to your electrical panel. While these can add to your cost, covering both the safety aspects and enabling long-term savings (compared to filling up a gas tank) will usually make driving and charging your EV at home financially beneficial. If you already have a NEMA 6-50 outlet installed, installation is as simple as mounting the bracket, sliding on the unit, and plugging it in!

EvoCharge has a network of installers by zipcode, which you can search on their website.

If you’re looking for a durable, easy to install, and fairly priced home charger, the EvoCharge EVSE or iEVSE Home could be a good match for you. With its three-year warranty, supporting application, and customizable features, the EVSE prioritizes customization and user experience. If you’re looking for smart home features and want to manage and monitor charging with an app, you’ll want to get the iEVSE Home model. Rated five out of five by 88 percent of users on Amazon, these two models are a popular choice among EV drivers.

There’s sometimes a misconception that home EV charging is expensive. However, it’s substantially less expensive in most areas than gasoline – especially if you’re using solar to power your charging. Your exact comparison depends on the cost of electricity in your area and the make and model of EV you own (since various models have different ranges).

Going solar is one of the best long-term solutions to lower your home EV charging costs. You can use the EnergySage Marketplace to compare several quotes from pre-screened installers, helping you find a system that fits your needs at the right price. If you’re planning to charge an EV at home, add a note to your profile so installers can right size your solar system to sufficiently power your EV.