One of our seasoned electric car owners and resident EV charging experts Tom Moloughney has been at it again, putting together an extensive video review of another popular EV home charging solution, the Autel MaxiCharger 40-amp.
There is a whole host of Level 2 EV home charging systems on the market, and it's likely hard to decide which is best for you. Whether you're a new electric car owner with minimal knowledge and experience who's looking for a home charger, or a long-time EV owner considering an upgrade, Tom's content should prove especially helpful.
Tom has reviewed several home EV charging systems for his YouTube channel State of Charge (see the link at the end of the article). This makes it easy for you to visit one channel and compare multiple systems to decide which is the best fit for you. Much like any product, each home charger has its share of pros and cons, so you'll have to do your research and decide which system you can not only afford, but also live with over time.
The Autel MaxiCharger is one that Tom has received many requests to review. Fortunately, the opportunity present itself, and he was able to spend nearly 45 minutes going over every precise detail.
The 40-amp WiFi-connected smart EV charger starts at $549, which Tom says is a good price. As you can see, you get a 25-foot cable, an Energy Star rating, and a 3-year warranty.
Tom notes that you don't have to worry about the MaxiCharger's 40-amp rating since your EV is not going to get "overloaded." Each EV is designed to accept a certain amount of power, and it won't exceed that even if the charging station is able to deliver more.
That said, investing in a higher-power home charging system is wise since most EVs can handle more power than they once could, and you'll be future-proofing your home. Fortunately, Autel offers the MaxiCharger in 40-amp and 50-amp versions with six different configurations (in Tom's opinion, it's worth paying the extra $40 for the 50-amp version):
- Plug-In 40-amp (NEMA 14-50) with integrated connector holster
- Plug-in 40-amp (NEMA 14-50) with remote connector holster
- Plug-in 40-amp (NEMA 6-50) with integrated connector holster
- Plug-in 40-amp (NEMA 6-50) with remote connector holster
- Hardwired 50-amp with integrated connector holster
- Hardwired 50-amp with remote connector holster
After testing the MaxiCharger for about three weeks, Tom says it performed as advertised. However, it did have a few issues during the more difficult stress testing. Nonetheless, the charging system earned 4.4 out of five stars.
Tom recommends the Autel MaxiCharger 40-amp with one exception. Due to the cable's poor performance in one of the stress tests, he says you shouldn't choose this charger if you live in an area with cold weather and you must install it outside.
Tom provides plenty of details in the video, but also offers his ratings and "hits and misses," which can prove very helpful when comparing the various systems he's reviewed.
Finally, Tom provides a number of chapters and timestamps that correspond to the video above. This way, if you're a seasoned EV expert, too, and just hoped to get some specific information, you can jump to the topics that interest you. Meanwhile, new EV owners looking for some solid education should certainly watch the whole video, but you can also hone in on the areas you need most.
Chapters
- 0:00 Introduction
- 0:55 Autel MaxiCharger key features
- 1:57 Unboxing
- 2:53 Installing the MaxiCharger
- 4:12 Initial impressions
- 6:35 The cable deep freeze test
- 8:55 The Connector drop test
- 10:15 Cable deep freeze test comparison
- 12:35 Repairing the connector
- 14:38 Two connector holster options
- 19:14 Connecting the unit to the Autel app
- 21:19 Using the MaxiCharger
- 24:56 The MaxiCharger app features
- 26:21 MaxiCharger pricing and certification
- 28:54 The ChargerRater scorecard
- 34:35 FInal scoring
- 40:21 Autel MaxiCharger hits and misses
- 42:36 Outro
