Whether you’re looking to furnish your business properties with EV charging stations or want an efficient way to charge your EV at home, it pays to do your research before you buy. With this guide to the best residential and commercial EV charging station providers, you’ll be able to narrow down your choices without even stepping out of your door.
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The Top Residential EV Charging Station Providers
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Buying an EV represents a significant investment of your resources. Charging at home can help you offset that expense by saving money on refueling. After all, as US News and World Report‘s Warren Clarke points out, it costs almost 30% less to charge your car at home with a Level 2 charger than a DC fast charger.
So, it only makes sense to purchase an EV charger that can charge your car the most efficiently – one that can hold up over the years. Here are a few of the top home EV charging station providers and their top EV chargers.
1. ChargePoint: The Home Flex EV Charger
As the world’s largest commercial EV charging station provider, ChargePoint offers businesses a broad range of charging options, However, it is one of the top names in home EV charging companies as well.
One of the best examples of the company’s residential options is its Home Flex EV Charger. A big advantage of this charger is that it links to ChargePoint’s public charging network through the same app, as Car and Driver’s Dave Vanderwerp advises. So, if you use ChargePoint stations while you’re out on the road, you can easily keep track of your overall charging costs, whether you’re at home or traveling. It is, though, one of the more expensive residential EV charging options.
Featuring a 23-foot cord with a built-in notch to hang your cord neatly, the charger is rated for outdoor as well as indoor use. The app is easy to use, allowing you to schedule your charging times during off-peak hours. It helps you track your charging costs easily — a must if you use your car for both personal and business tasks.
The charger has variable output capability (50/48/40/32/24/16 amps), which translates to 12.0/11.5/9.6/7.7/5.8/3.8 kW. However, you must hardwire the charger if you use one of the lower output settings.
2. Tesla: The Wall Connector EV Charging Station (2 options)
Tesla gives users two options for home charging – both compatible with Teslas and non-Teslas, which is great if you have EV-driving houseguests who might drive a different brand of car. The first features a NACS Tesla plug but requires an adapter to charge non-Tesla vehicles, while the second option has the new J1772 plug, which can charge other brands without an adapter. At around $450, the NACS-equipped charger does cost about $100 less than the J1772 model — if your budget cannot stretch to accommodate the more expensive charger. Both models come with a 24-foot cord and built-in cord management and are rated for outdoor use as well. Their output capacity is 48/40/32/24/16/12 amps, which translates to 11.5/9.6/7.7/5.8/3.8/2.9 kW. Also, both come with a user-friendly app but lack the capability to track energy use.
3. Emporia: The 48-Amp EV Charger
With a charger that both Car Talk’s John Goreham and Car and Driver’s Vanderwerp (cited earlier) rated among their top picks, Emporia emerges as an excellent choice for EV owners, especially those on a budget. Since Emporia specializes in home energy management solutions, its flagship charger features a load management system that can save homeowners from costly electrical upgrades in many cases. At around $400, the charger features a 24-foot cord, built-in cable management, and an output that ranges from 48 to 6 amps (11.5-1.4 kW). It, too, is rated for outdoor use and easy to set up.
4. Lectron: The V-Box EV Charger
A company that specializes in simplicity, Lectron produces quality, app-free EV chargers that make it easy to mount, set up, and use from the get-go, as Car Talk’s John Goreham (cited earlier) shows. With an easy-to-read display panel that provides all the information you need without frills, the company’s V-Box EV Charger is the perfect solution for owners who want a plug-and-play option. It features a 20-foot cord and a setting option that enables owners to dial down the power if their home’s electrical system has less than a 50-amp capacity.
5. Enel X Way: JuiceBox®
These popular JuiceBox home chargers provide residential property owners with fast Level 2 charging, intelligent WiFi, control, and easy installation. The company offers three home charging options ranging from around $669 to $739, according to an EnergySage review. The outputs for each model are 32 A, 40 A, or 48 A, which give you 12-60 miles of range per hour, depending on which model you buy.
Compared to other home charging options, they are expensive – but they make up for that cost with a suite of convenient features. These include over-the-air updates, the ability to connect several chargers to a single circuit through load-sharing, and an easy-to-use app, the JuicePass. Like the others reviewed here, the JuiceBox chargers can be used outside as well as inside.
The Top Commercial EV Charging Station Providers
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Whether you own a standalone EV charging station or want to add EV charging as an amenity to your tenants, employees, customers, and guests, it’s becoming more critical for businesses to branch out into EV charging to build additional revenue streams. Commercial needs vary from the Level 1 and 2 chargers offered at airports, hotels, and shopping centers to the lightning-fast DC fast chargers that commercial charging stations and fuel stops need to stay competitive. Use this list of the nation’s top commercial EV charging station brands to inform yourself and your team before you buy.
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1. EVBox
One of the world’s major suppliers of commercial EV chargers, EVBox makes it easy for businesses to add EV charging to their revenue streams. Whether you need public charging stations, private EV charging for customers and employees, or a charging solution for your fleet EVs, EVBox can accommodate your needs with both level 2 and DC fast chargers. Additionally, they will install and maintain your chargers and provide user-friendly charging management software so your team can manage the business side, no matter how many chargers you have.
2. Tesla
Apartment complexes, shopping centers, and other businesses can benefit from Tesla’s selection of commercial chargers. Whether you need Superchargers for your fuel stop or wall chargers for hotel guests or tenants, Tesla can provide you with a hassle-free experience, including automatic updates, seamless payment, and notifications when you need more chargers. Even better, with Tesla now making its charging technology available to non-Tesla owners, Tesla is well worth your consideration.
3. EVgo
If your company needs DC fast chargers, EVgo is a great choice for business owners. Customers can find your charging stations with the user-friendly EVgo app, view their real-time availability, and choose a variety of payment options to charge their cars, making it convenient for EV owners traveling through your area. For even more customer-pleasing service, drivers can even reserve chargers through their public network.
4. Enel X Way
Enel X Way also offers commercial EV charging stations — their JuiceBox Pro line. Suitable for a wide variety of businesses, government facilities, and non-profit institutions, Enel X Way provides “turnkey installation and support” for its commercial customers, including site evaluations, project management, the installation itself, centralized billing, and maintenance support. The company offers both Level 2 and DC fast chargers, making it easy to choose the right charging stations for your facility.
5. Blink
This worldwide EV charging company offers its commercial customers industry-specific EV charging solutions, enabling you to tailor your EV charging stations to your organization’s exact needs. With Level 2 and DC fast chargers and compatibility with both CCS and NACS plugs, Blink has the technology and support to provide your customers with a superb experience, building loyalty with every charge.
Learn More About Residential and Commercial EV Charging at the EV Charging Summit
Network with some of the EV charging industry’s finest minds as you soak up all the latest developments in the space. With interest-specific tracks and a wealth of speakers and vendors, you’ll have everything you need to make your EV charging business take off. Register for your place at the table today!
