![]() What are the different types of EV chargers?Ĭharging capability is categorized into three tiers. Despite varying cord lengths and thicknesses, there was no measurable difference in performance or efficiency (which averaged roughly 5 percent charging losses). We then compared the electricity output from the wall to what the Model 3 reported made it into its battery pack using the third-party (and very cool) TeslaFi software. (Note: Tesla doesn't sell a version of its Wall Connector with a plug, so to keep our test comparable we wired one in ourselves to connect to our NEMA 14-50 outlet.) We used each of the five units to charge our long-term Tesla Model 3 numerous times over a period of months. To be able to easily switch among the units, we ordered the NEMA 14-50 plug-in variant of each charging device. I was able to add a 40-amp circuit to the existing electric service in my house without a pricey upgrade to run additional capacity, so that's why I landed on a 40-amp outlet versus a 50-amp setup. ![]() We of course have charging at the Car and Driver office, but I needed a proper setup at home to support all of the EVs we're reviewing these days. I went down the same path a new EV owner would when putting together this story, starting with installing a dedicated 240-volt outlet in my garage. ![]() The cover also has to be removed to reset the Wi-Fi connection, which we did at least a half-dozen times when trying to get ours to connect. But it can also be preordered to a specific setting to save that hassle. Like the other units, the Grizzl-E can adjust among various output levels, but it's most difficult to accomplish in the Grizzl-E, where rather than change it via the app, you have to take off the front cover and toggle DIP switches. EVs are designed to be able to charge safely in rain, snow, or ice. It also had the thickest cables, making them the most resistant to hanging back on the included wall mount. Grizzl-E touts the ruggedness of its beefy aluminum enclosure, with videos on its website showing a small off-road vehicle running over it (which seems completely unnecessary for a thing that's mounted on a wall in your garage). It appears that Grizzl-E has streamlined the connection process considerably since we first tried using this unit, and we were eventually able to get our unit a firmware update and get it connected to the ChargeLab app. Initially, Grizzl-E said its unit could work with either AmpUp or ChargeLab apps, but now it's only the latter. Unfortunately, it took months to get ours to connect. The promise of the Grizzl-E Smart is that it can theoretically pair with any EV charging app that uses the OCPP (Open Charge Point Protocol) 1.6 and, at $539, it's one of the cheapest smart units.
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